God gives His children many commands throughout Scripture: 

Have no other gods. 

Do not be afraid. 

Abide in Him. 

Make disciples of all nations.  

The list is endless. This may seem like a discouraging way to start a devotional for it shows how we all fall short, and if left to ourselves, of course we do. We are utterly incapable of keeping every command, which is the very reason Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice for all who would believe in Him and take His imputed righteousness as our own. 

But I also think we as independent beings tend to forget that we serve a very personal God who did not leave us out in this tumultuous ocean of life to seek after His holiness and His commands all on our own. Of course we know this, but do we continuously remember it? 

Even throughout the Old Testament, before He poured out His Holy Spirit on all, God was continuously reminding His people that He was with them: 

“As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Joshua 1:5) 

“The Lord is for me; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Psalm 118:6) 

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.” (Zeph. 3:17) 

And then of course the ultimate promise of a coming Savior when Isaiah prophesies, “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14-15). Immanuel. God with us. And here we are living in that Good News realized. 

God’s redemptive plan is even sweeter for those who are on this side of the cross, for the saints of old “longed to see what you see” (Matthew 13:17) in the long-awaited Christ. The One who gave us His Helper, the Holy Spirit, to be with us always (John 14). The One who never left them then, and the One who will never leave us now. 

When we fail in ministry. When our sin spills over on our family and friends. When we enter in to the least reached places where all seems dark. When we can't find a view beyond our weaknesses—how could God use me like this? 

Even there. We have Immanuel, our God with us. Always.