I have set the LORD always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 16:8-11
F. B. Meyer told the story of meeting a distressed woman on a train. She had cared for a disabled daughter for several years, and the girl had died leaving her alone. She could not find comfort or peace. Meyer told her that when she got home she should open the door and say, “Jesus, I know You are here.” As she went through her day, he instructed her to talk to the Lord just as if He were seated in the room with her. He then told her that at night when she turned out the lights she should again declare, “Jesus, I know You are here.” They went their separate ways when the train reached the station. A few months later Meyer encountered the woman again. He said, “I almost did not recognize her. Her face radiated joy instead of misery.” She had done what he advised and reported, “I did as you told me, and it has made all the difference in my life, and now I feel I know Him.”
The Lord’s presence is not dependent on our ability to see or feel Him. Jesus promised His followers, “lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” (Matthew 28:20). Yet how often do we go through our days without consciously acknowledging His presence? David declared, “I have set the LORD always before me” (Psalm 16:8). Like David, we can choose to live with a continual awareness that the Lord is near. Whether we are facing sorrow, uncertainty, or the ordinary responsibilities of daily life, we can find strength and joy in His unchanging presence. He will never leave or forsake His children.
