God is with Us¶

The most central part of the Christian faith is the idea that God is with us; that in the person of Jesus Christ, he became flesh and lived as a human.

Matt Redman’s song “Never Once” reminds me of the “Footsteps” parable so it always seems corny at first.

But the lyric, “Kneeling on this battleground,” catches me off guard every time. For some reason, I choke up at the thought.

Maybe I remember battling addictions in Celebrate Recovery, or fighting church politics at Mount Zion Baptist Church. Maybe it’s Mission Year in general.

I don’t know what it is exactly but what’s important is the reminder of God’s faithfulness and God’s incarnational presence.

Sometimes I read posts on Hacker News and about a month ago this article was posted: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5160713. The top comment saddened me for the quote it contains from Marcus Aurelius. He has a kind of interesting argument but he envisions God as merely a judge at the end of your life. But that’s not God. God is with Us.

Standing on this mountaintop

Looking just how far we’ve come

Knowing that for every step

You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground

Seeing just how much You’ve done

Knowing every victory

Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Kneeling on this battle ground

Seeing just how much You’ve done

Knowing every victory

Was Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way

But with joy our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone

Carried by Your constant grace

Held within Your perfect peace

Never once, no, we never walk alone

Never once did we ever walk alone

Never once did You leave us on our own

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Every step we are breathing in Your grace

Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful

You are faithful, God, You are faithful