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When you hear the word “always,” what immediately comes to mind? Maybe it is “forever” or “without end” or “at all times.” Who or what are “always”? Some would say it would be the sun and moon, but Isaiah the prophet lets us know that is incorrect. No longer will you have the sun for light by day, nor for the brightness will the moon give you light; and your God will be your glory. Your sun will set no more, neither will your moon wane; for you will have the Lord for an everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be finished." (Isaiah 60:19-20) If the sun and moon will be eliminated, everything else will be too, including mankind. How about God Himself? Is he “always”?
Max Lucado, in his book, Traveling Light, states, “Though He creates, God was never created. Though He makes, God was never made. Though He causes, God was never caused. Hence, the psalmist’s proclamation, "Before the mountains were born or You brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, You are God." (Psalm 90:2 NIV)
Did you know that we are commanded to do certain things “always”? Join me in looking at these commands: obedience (Deut.6:24; 11:1); pray (Luke 18:1 and Eph. 6:18); abound in the work of the Lord (1 Cor. 15:58); be of good courage (2 Cor. 5:6); rejoice (2 Cor. 6:10 and Phil. 4:4); speak with grace (Col. 4:6); be ready to share the Gospel with gentleness and reverence (1 Pet. 3:15).
Are you a little overwhelmed on how? 2 Corinthians 9:8 tells us, "And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that ‘always’ having all sufficiency in everything…and the promise Jesus spoke before He ascended into heaven...and lo, I am with you ‘always’ even to the end of the age." (Matthew 28:20)
You may be thinking, “What if I don’t ‘always’?” There is the promise of 1 John 1:9, If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Let us be mindful of “always.”
Jamie Trisler (twin sister of Amy Barron)
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