Four Simple Words

“For, behold, I am for you, and I will turn unto you, and ye shall be tilled and sown:” (Eze 36:9 AV)

What a statement, don’t you think?  I know, some will observe this statement was made to Israel regarding the restoration of the land of Israel to a penitent nation.  And they would be right.  But the same could be said of all whom God loves.  The psalmist put it this way. “Like as a father pitieth [his] children, [so] the LORD pitieth them that fear him.” (Ps 103:13 AV)  There is no difference.  Israel or the N.T. saint; even those before Israel and after the tribulation; all who fear God fall under the same promise.  God is for us!  Of all the things God says to His children, this is perhaps one of the most precious.  Regardless of how long we have walked with God, these four words are relevant, needed, appreciated, and precious.  God is for us.  No matter how much we have failed Him or how far we have wandered, He is for us.  Regardless of how much we are struggling through a difficult time of faith, He is for us.  Even when we cannot see the end from the beginning, He is for us.  What a statement!

Of course, the proverbial father/child relationship comes to mind.  Dad is the child’s biggest fan.  It doesn’t matter if it is a ball game and his son or daughter is in left field and only plays the last two innings, Dad is for them!  He is yelling as loud as he can encouraging his child at every at-bat.  Perhaps, like me, you get caught shoplifting as a child.  Dad shows up and piles you in the car.  He isn’t mad.  He is silent.  He allows the conscience to work on me and by the time I am home, I have beaten myself up enough.  He gives a reasonable sentence and it is all over.  Why? Because he was for me.  Or the time when all my friends went on a rabble-rousing trip and I didn’t want to go.  My father saw my choice, realized I was all alone, and made a day of it.  Why?  Because he was for me.  Or like the time I knew I couldn’t handle Chemistry as a High School course.  Rote memorization is not my skill.  The periodic table frightened me.  We talked it through and he allowed me to take computer science classes instead.  Why?  Because he was for me.  As a father, there were several times.  In fact, many times I was for my sons.  There was a time when all three went through social awkwardness.  They struggled with feelings as maturity settled in.  We prayed our way through it.  Why?  Because I was for them.  Time and again, there were situations when they needed to know dad was for them.

Sometimes the fact that God is for us is all we need to make it across the finish line.  Those four words mean so much.  These four words are more than mere presence and provision.  They are words of affirmation.  They are words that tell the hearer that the Father is confident that given enough time, opportunity, and instruction, His child will make it just fine.  These words are God’s way of saying, “I know where you are.  I know what you face.  I will not let you fail.  I am always there.  I will see you through this. I will show you the way that you must go.  When you fall, I will pick you up, brush you off, and set you on your feet again.  Satan cannot harm you.  The world will be defeated.  You are in my care and I love you more than you can ever comprehend.  I am for you!”  There are no more precious words than these four to a child who doesn’t know enough to make it on his own.  How gracious, kind, and wise is our God?  We are blessed forever. AMEN.