Hebrews 13:5b “God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’”

This promise covers everything. If you would remember nothing but this promise of God, you would be equipped for anything you might face in life. The words are the words of God himself. In the whole history of the world, from creation until this day, he has never been known to break a promise. Not one. You can be certain that every day of your lives this promise he gives will still be valid. Any other gifts you might receive will wear out or lose their luster with time, but not this one. This gift from your Savior will be there until the day you die.

What he promises is nothing less than to be your helper in any and every situation. He will never leave you. When it looks like your ship is sinking, your dreams have been dashed, your fortune lost, your life and health ebbing away, he will always be with you to hold you up and give you care. He will never forsake you.

Even at times when our hearts have been cold and hard, and we have turned to follow our own ways instead of his ways, he doesn’t abandon us. He patiently calls us back to himself. He forgives us no matter how great the guilt. He takes care of us, no matter how great the problem.

Think for a moment about how all-encompassing this promise truly is. When God first spoke these words, it wasn’t here in the book of Hebrews. He used Moses to speak them to the children of Israel before they entered the Promised Land. There he was assuring them that, even though war and bloodshed were staring them in the face, he would never leave or forsake them. They could trust him when their very lives and the lives of those they loved were in such danger.

Here this promise is applied to our daily needs. Even when it looks like we have come to the end of our resources, the cupboard is bare, the well is dry, the purse is empty, God promises to uphold you and to provide. His resources never run out, and we can trust him for our daily bread.

Today you can claim this promise for yourself. Life can be a roller coaster ride as we balance the competing demands of family, work, church, and community. But whatever the future holds, God’s promise still stands: “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”