"I would never do that." Has this thought ever crossed your mind? Take away "that" and insert whatever situation of life you think you will never be in. How about "I would never cheat on my husband," or "I would never take one too many painkillers and then need a refill that I didn't really need." or maybe it's "I would never talk behind someone's back." Insert whatever you like behind that never. Chances are we have all found ourselves eating our words when we have used the word never.
Peter said He would never leave Jesus's side (John 14:37-38). Do you remember how that went? The moment things got a little dicey, he denied knowing Jesus. Then he did it again. And again (John 18:17, 25, 27). Jesus told His disciples in Mathew 26:41, "watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
However strong we think we may be, our over-confidence can be our downfall. As people, we are prone to give into temptation. To say we will never do something is actually a little dangerous. Satan knows right where to weasel his way in.
The human concept of never sounds like a broken promise waiting to happen. We just don't know when life throws us a curve ball and we find ourselves in the never land we said we would never be in.
God on the other hand, will never break His promises. God simply has the power we do not. When God uses the word never, we can count on Him to mean it.
We can be reassured that God's presence and work in our lives will never end. No matter the circumstances, and no matter what we deserve. In Deuteronomy 31, Moses announces He is getting older and his successor will be Joshua. Moses announces to all of Israel with Joshua by his side, that Joshua would be leading them into the promised land. Moses reassures the Israelites not once, but twice, that God will be with them, and will never leave or forsake them (Deuteronomy 31:6, 8).
Here is where things get interesting. Moses writes down the law to pass on and instructs the Levitcal priests to read the law to all people every seven years to teach them and remind them of God's laws to follow. Following this, Moses and Joshua come to God so Joshua can be commissioned to take over. God then tells them both how the Israelites will go astray and sin and worship other gods after they are brought into the promised land flowing with milk and honey. So God follows through and provides the Israelites with the land of abundance He promised despite knowing the Israelites would go against His laws and worship other gods.
God knew what would happen with the Israelites. He knew they would turn from Him even after providing above and beyond for all their needs. But before any of this happens, He tells the Israelites "I will never leave you." Despite their actions, despite their sins, He promised to never leave or forsake them.
God will never leave us even when we go astray. God will never leave us even when we turn from Him. God will never leave us even when we chose to put other "things" before Him. He continued to pick up the pieces for the Israelites after they went astray time and time again. We can be reassured that His promise to the Israelites is still a promise for us today. Even when we leave Him, He will never leave us.
