Your God is Always There!

(Prov 14:10 NIV) Each heart knows its own bitterness, and no one else can share its joy.

This morning we continue our series, In this verse Solomon tells us something pretty profound. He explains to us that when it is all said and done, our deepest bitterness and joy is locked up inside of our own heart and it seems like we can't truly share them.

Do we share experiences with others? Of course we do. But I believe his point is that we are who we are when no one else is around. There are some things that we express and experience with our God that we can't seem to share with anyone else. But the good news is that God is always there and He is always ready, willing, and able to help. Let's look at three examples of what I mean:

Moses: After a 40-year hiatus, Moses came back to Egypt with nothing but his rod and his God. What did he come back for? To lead his countrymen out of bondage. Did he come back because God was leading him? Absolutely! But he also came back, because he loved his people. He was out in the wilderness, with a new life, among new people, but his heart still yearned to be around the Jews. So he came back, he was used mightily, and then, after God manifested His glory supernaturally, he went up into the mountain to spend quality time with God and to receive direction for what to do next.

But he came down from the mountain only to find his people going astray. He had left his brother in charge, but his brother failed him. The people built a golden calf. They wanted to worship an image instead of the invisible (But True) God. Moses was extremely frustrated. He had put his life on the line for the people and they repaid him with rebellion. But he found solace in, and ultimate direction from, his God.

David: Let me tell you about a time where David's closest friends failed him. David had experienced his fair share of trying times as he sought to avoid the many attempts Saul made on his life. But time after time, his men and his family were there to support him. However, one-day David's army was rejected from participating in a battle and they were directed to go home.

They made it home to Ziklag, only to find the town torn to pieces and burned to the ground. To make matter worse, all their families were gone. David and his men cried until he did not have any tears left. But then, at his lowest point, David's men turned on him and they spoke of stoning him to death. All David had left was his God and His God saw him through it.

Jesus: You can't say too much about the investment Jesus made in the life of the Apostles. For three and a half years He poured into them and then, towards the end, when He needed them just as much as they needed Him, they failed Him. And it was not even the 12, but rather his inner circle, the three (Peter, James, and John). When He was at His lowest point He asked His inner circle to pray with Him and they fell sleep on Him. They could not even pray for an hour. Jesus then said something that is very telling and that lines up with this message. He said, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Mat 26:41).

So what does this mean? It means that sometimes even the most well-intentioned people will fail you. Humans are limited, but God is limitless. He is there when you feel like you have a bitterness you can't share or even a joy you can't explain. Whether up or down, whether in pain or in pleasure, the message is: your God is always there!

Father, I thank You for always being there for me. There have been times where I have felt all alone and You were there. There have also been times where I had a joy that I could not explain to anyone, but You were also there. You are there for me every second of every day and for that I want to say, THANK YOU! Thank You Father for being there for me through good times and bad, through ups and downs, through thick and thin, through highs and lows. As I enter this day I have supernatural peace, that gives birth to overwhelming confidence, because I know that You are there! In J