Ever had the frustration of working for a boss who was never around? One who gave a lot of directives, but was clueless about the realities of the job? God has given us a lot of direction for life—sixty-six books of the Bible to point the way—but he’s not ignorant of the challenges we face, or occupied somewhere else in the universe. He’s an on-site Savior.
When Jesus literally left paradise to come down to earth, it was no easy deal. Becoming human, with all its heartache, sickness, and trouble, was a costly endeavor. He subjected himself to the temptations and frustrations of daily life:
Therefore, since we have a high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the hope we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. (Hebrews 4:14–15)
In Christ, we have a God who became like us. He knows the struggle. We have an example of how to stand against temptation, and defeat it (Luke 4:1–13; Mark14:32–36).
Beyond this, we have a God who is fully present with us: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (1 John 4:9–15). Before his death, Jesus prayed this beautiful prayer for those who would believe his message of salvation, passed down from the apostles to us the centuries:
I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you have given me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:20–23)
God lives in and with every believer—ready to comfort, help, guide, teach, empower . . . and love. We have all the fullness of life we need in him (John 10:10). Don't miss this—God is with you. Are you with him? Does he have your attention and conversation throughout the day? Are you seeking his help and direction in the moment you need it? As Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5). Do you hear him when he nudges you to love someone in a specific way? He's an on-site Savior who will walk with you through the journey of life. Enjoy his constant presence and love, and spread some around.
