God’s Presence Gives Us Hope
Bible Readings
Take a few minutes to read the Bible verses listed and ask the Holy Spirit to lead you in how this verse applies to you this week.
Memory Verse
I am sure that nothing can separate us from God's love—not life or death, not angels or spirits, not the present or the future, and not powers above or powers below. Nothing in all creation can separate us from God's love for us in Christ Jesus our Lord! (CEV)
Have you ever had one of those bad days where it feels like nothing could make it better? But then someone you love comes and sits beside you. Maybe they give you a hug. Maybe they listen to you talk about what’s going wrong. Maybe you just sit quietly together.
You know they can’t fix it. But having them there makes everything feel a little better because they love you. And they’ve shown you how much they love you over and over again. After a while, you may even feel hopeful that tomorrow won’t be so bad.
God’s presence is like that, but better.
Like your friends, parents, or guardians, God loves to be with you, and he loves to show you how much he loves you. And he has been loving you for longer than anyone else. Ephesians 1:4-5 tells us that he chose us before he created the world.
But he didn’t stop loving us when he made the world and we decided not to be close friends with him. At just the right time, he formed us in our mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13). In Hosea 11:3-4 God tells us that “it was I who taught Ephraim to walk; I took them up in my arms… I treated them like those who lift infants to their cheeks; I bent down to them and fed them.” He does the same thing with us.
Knowing that God is with us, that he has always been with us, and that he promises to stay with us forever (Deuteronomy 31:8 and Romans 8:38-39) gives us hope. Those promises are like a hug from your friend that makes everything seem better. They remind you that God does love you, and he always will.
Prayer
Holy Father, sometimes life isn’t easy, but it’s so wonderful to know that you are there. Thank you for being with me and for loving me. Amen.Related Resources
Christina Van Starkenburg
Christina Van Starkenburg is an award-winning freelance writer and author of The Key Thief and One Tiny Turtle: A Story You Can Colour. In her free time, she enjoys reading, dancing, and exploring the world with her husband and three kids. Visit her at www.christinavanstarkenburg.com to read more.