Always Near.
"I am with you alway."--Matt. xxvlii. 20.
How nice it would be if we could always have the one we loved best in all
the world with us; never away from us night or day, and no fear that they
ever possibly would or could leave us; never a good-bye even for ever such
a little while, and never, never the long farewell of death!
Can this ever be for you? Yes, for you; for to every one who is a disciple
of the Lord Jesus (that is, who learns of Him and owns Him as Master), He
says, "I am with you alway." He does not even say, "I will be with you;"
so that you might be wondering when He meant to come, when He would begin
to be "with you;" but He says, "I _am_ with you." Yes, even now, though
perhaps your eyes are holden, like those of the two who walked to Emmaus
when Jesus was beside them and they did not know it. Your feeling or not
feeling that He is there has nothing at all to do with it, because His
word must be true and _is_ true, and He has said, "I _am_ with you alway."
All you have to do is to be happy in believing it to be true. And if you
go on believing it, you will soon begin to realize it; that is, to find
that it is a real thing, and that Jesus really is with you.
How long will He be with you? Always, "all the days!" He hath said, "I
will never leave thee." "Never" means really _never_, not for one moment.
You can not get beyond "never." It goes on all through your life, and all
through God's great "forever." And "always" means really _always_, every
single moment of all your life, so that you need never ask again, "Is
Jesus with me now?" Of course He is! the answer will always be "yes,"
because He hath said, "I am with you alway." How safe, how sweet, how
blessed!
"O Jesus, make Thyself to me
A living, bright reality!
More present to faith's vision keen
Than any outward object seen;
More dear, more intimately nigh,
Than even the sweetest earthly tie."