Beside

"I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me." (Psalm 16:8 - NLT)

Last Saturday, my wife and I were able to go worship with the Irish band, Rend Collective. Their music is truly amazing and the energy they give off is infectious. 

There was this one moment during the concert, where everybody had their arms around somebody next to them. Complete strangers were dancing together, praising God. It was beautiful! 

The psalm today speaks about not being shaken. Several times in my life, I've felt so shaken, I thought I couldn't get up again. 

God is far greater than any stranger at a gig, holding you in his/her arms. He is even greater than any loved one you have in your life, who will keep standing upright through hardships. 

There has often been that analogy that God's spirit is like your shadow. Once Christ lives in you, you cannot be detached from His light. 

But Jesus is not a shadow. He is the everlasting light that you can rely on. David may not have known that God's spirit would reside in us. Having God beside you was the best thing he knew. After all, God was beside him when he faced Goliath. But that was just the warm-up. David went on to face many more devastating situations in his life.

Another analogy is this: we are meant to be the salt of the earth. If we're the salt, then the Holy Spirit is the pepper. In modern cooking, the two are pretty much inseparable! 

So, at the beginning of this week, know this: God will always pick you up, no matter how low you are. He will hold you, guide you and walk right beside you through all things!