The Lord Is With Us
- Richard Selke
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
December 10, 2025
I once met Kinky Friedman at a wedding. Kinky – a Texan, singer, songwriter, novelist, humorist and occasional politician – handed me his card which read:
KINKY FRIEDMAN
is allowed to walk the grounds unattended.
If found elsewhere, contact
Echo Hill Ranch, Medina, Texas
It was classic Kinky – dry humor and wit. But as I stood there smiling, something about those words touched someplace deep within me. There have been times when I have felt “unattended” – alone, unseen, isolated from others. Perhaps you’ve felt that way too?
There’s a particular ache in believing you’re walking through this world alone, on your own. It can feel unsettling, even frightening. But the truth is that we are never unattended. We are never alone.
Scripture speaks of a God Who walks with us, watches over us and refuses to abandon us. From the Garden of Eden to the prophets to the manger in Bethlehem, God has written one continuing story about His desire to dwell with His people:
“I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go…” Genesis 28:15a, NIV
“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you …” Deuteronomy 31:8a, NIV
“So do not fear, for I am with you …” Isaiah 41:10a, NIV
King David declares that there is nowhere we can go where God is not already present:
“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.” Psalm 139:7-10, NIV
The Apostle Paul proclaims that we can never be separated from the love of God: For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39, NIV
The Lord is always with us – not just spying on us to catch us in our sin but looking after us like a shepherd. King David wrote: “The Lord is my shepherd … Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; …” Psalm 23 1, 4, ESV
The Lord is our Shepherd. We are His sheep, and we are His beloved. Thank God!
The Old Testament scriptures promised that God would come and be with us. About six hundred years before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Isaiah foresaw His coming: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14 NIV
The Gospel of Matthew tells the meaning of Immanuel: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God with us.’)” Matthew 1:23, NIV
The Gospel of Matthew ends with this promise from Christ Himself: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 NIV
God’s presence is not some vague idea. It is a promise to be encountered – in prayer, in Scripture, in worship and in the quiet moments when we least expect Him.
We are in the season of Advent as we wait and prepare to celebrate Christmas, the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, Immanuel, God with us. Advent reminds us that God stepped into our world once, and that He has promised to return. We live in the holy tension of remembering His first coming and anticipating His second.
REMEMBER & BELIEVE
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
In the meantime, the one thing we absolutely need is
the one thing we can never lose - God's presence with us!
QUESTION
Where in your life do you need to remember that God is with you right now?
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, we thank You that You are Immanuel – God with us. When we feel alone, remind us of Your presence. When fears arise, steady our hearts with Your peace. Help us to know Your presence today and to trust You in all things. Draw us closer to You this Advent season.
Our Father Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil and the evil one. For Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory, forever and ever.
Amen
“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24, ESV
God bless you!
Richard
Christ Worshipper | Disciple Maker | Hope Giver
Welcome to In the Meantime. I'm glad you're here! We are living in the time between Christ's ascension into heaven and His promised return to earth. In the Meantime is a collection of stories about God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and His presence, love, mercy and grace in my life. In the Meantime, Jesus is Lord! Hallelujah!
Sometimes all we need is a reminder such as this. Realizing you are not alone in this world is a great comfort PLT.