I will never leave nor forsake you

Contributor:
Chad Roberts

My parents have a strong marriage today, but they didn’t when I was growing up. The last time they separated, I was a freshman in high school. My dad chose to transfer his employment to upstate New York and I decided I was going with him. I remember the details vividly.

We left late one night to drive to New York to tour his work and find a place to live. Filling up with gas somewhere outside of Kingsport, a trucker said there is a big snow storm coming. We didn’t think much of it.

By the time we got to Northern Virginia the snow had forced us to pull over. We slept in the car that night (a fun adventure to a 14-year-old). I’ll never forget waking up and our car being buried in the snow. We were forced to cancel the trip and come home.

There is no doubt in my mind that God intervened to interrupt our plans. God’s Sovereign hand kept us from moving to New York. He had a plan and nothing was going to thwart that plan (Job 42:2) God had good plans for my family (Jeremiah 29:11) and He saw to it that His plans would prevail (Proverbs 19:21).

Shortly after we returned, God restored my parent’s. That was the first real trial I faced in my life. While I can’t say I ever felt abandoned by my parents, like so many kids and students are, it still had a serious effect on me. It was Hebrews 13:5 that God gave to my young heart. The strength and closeness I felt to the Lord through this Scripture was so real. Hebrews 13:5 has always had a special place in my heart because it was the first time I really met God through His Word.

Now that I am older, both in age and in the Lord, I can appreciate its truth even more so. Will you take a moment and walk through Hebrews 13:5 with me to see its depth and riches? We’ll examine each phrase and what these precious words mean in the original Greek. It will give a better understanding and will no doubt strengthen your heart for the trials of your life.

For He Has Said
This is a promise from Jesus Christ Himself! In the Greek, this is intensive. It means it is a personal promise. We would do well to remember the promises of God. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 1:20, “For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”

Oh, the power that is in this Scripture. It has the power to encourage your heart. It has the power to strengthen your faith. Yes, it has the power to get you through the fiercest trials of your life. God’s promises are Yes and Amen! Why? Because they are “for his glory.”

See when God promises to protect you, to come through for you, to never leave nor forsake you, it is His glory that is on the line! It’s His reputation, His Name that is at stake. This is why you can take God’s promises to heart. You can rest in the fact that God is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9). You can bank on the promise that He is always with us, even to the end of the world (Matthew 28:20).

I will never leave you
The Greek word for leave is beautiful in this text. It is not the typical Greek word for leave. It’s not how we would use the word leave as in walking away. Rather, in this passage, it literally means to “uphold” or “sustain.” What’s even more amazing is that there are two negatives in the original Greek. So what this verse literally says is, “I will not, I will not cease to uphold or sustain you.” How beautiful is that promise?

So whatever you facing know that God is with you! He is not going to walk away as you and I understand the word leave, but it is deeper than that. He is with you and He is going to “uphold” you. Yes, He is going to “sustain” you with strength, peace, and joy. If you feel like giving up or you feel like you’re going to collapse under the weight of the pressure I can promise you that in God’s strength you won’t! If you’ve wondered what has held you up this long, it might be that God is “upholding” and “sustaining” you!

Nor Forsake You
The word forsake in the Greek is made up of three words…” to leave,” “down,” and “in.” To leave suggests forsaking an individual. Down suggests rejection, defeat or helplessness and in has to do with circumstances. It’s vast and entire meaning is, “To abandon, to desert, to leave in straits, to leave helpless or destitute.” In the Greek, it has three negatives so it literally translates, “I will not, I will not, I will not forsake you.” God’s faithfulness is astounding!

Can you see why you can trust God? His Word, which is a sure Word (2 Peter 1:19), promises us that God will never leave us or forsake us and it does so by giving us a double assurance that He will uphold and strengthen us. Then He gives us a triple assurance that He will not abandon us, leave us in straits or leave us helpless.

So if you feel alone today, ponder this Scripture and tell Satan that you’re not alone. God is with you. Look to Him and rest in His faithfulness. That great missionary of the late 1800’s, Andrew Murray, used to say, “God is much like our bed. In Him, we can lay down and rest.”