I AM With You Always

6.6.25 [Matthew 28:20] River of Life (June Video Devotional)

Summertime is filled with so many special activities and memories. Do you have a favorite summertime activity? You probably have one of those quintessential summertime memories tattooed on your brain. 

Growing up, summer was a time for having fun and developing friendships. Maybe it’s time in the water or the woods. Perhaps it’s a week at the beach or away at camp. Summer's schedule is packed with ice cream cones, water balloons, roadtrips, reunions, and staying up way past your bedtime. 

Now, here in the Valley, summer feels a little bit different. The parks aren’t filled in the middle of the afternoon. Backyards aren’t lit up with fireflies. Even time in the water or the woods means heading up north or flying out of state. So, part of the summertime memories we make includes saying goodbye to a lot of things and people we enjoy. 

In the summer, we say goodbye to cool evenings. In the summer, we say goodbye to our friends and neighbors as they head for cooler locales. In the summer, we will also have to say goodbye to the friends and extended family we might visit. As great as it is to spend time with them and make lasting memories, we know that by the end of the week, we’re going to shed some tears and say some painful goodbyes. 

At the end of Matthew’s gospel, Jesus was saying his goodbye’s to his disciples. They were more than just his students. They were his friends. He loved them until the end. 

So as he spoke with them, he reminded them of who he really was—the Lord Almighty who had all authority in heaven and on earth. He reminded them of their mission—to baptize in the Triune name and make disciples who know and follow the Word he had given them. And then he said something eye-opening. At least for a guy who was going to ascend into heaven and leave them. 

Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. 

What a powerful and comforting goodbye. No matter where his friends went, Jesus would be with them. No matter what challenges or even crises they encountered, Jesus would be with them. No matter who threatened their lives or which of their friends abandoned them, there would be one constant. The Lord Almighty, their Savior and their Friend Jesus would be there with them. Always. Any place. Forever. 

And it wasn’t just a promise for them. Jesus, through the timeless and powerful Word of God, was with all those who know him as their Friend, their Savior, and the Lord Almighty. Jesus was with his followers as they faced physical hardships and even doctrinal divisions. Jesus was with his people as they ran for their lives and as they spoke the message of eternal life. Jesus was with his people in life and death situations—just as he had been with their ancestors. The same I AM Lord Almighty who guided Abraham, sustained Moses, and protected David was with them. 

And that same Jesus is with you. He speaks to you personally, through his Word. By grace, through faith, he has made you his dwelling place. You are his Temple. His pride and joy. And this isn’t some mystical mumbo jumbo where someone says that if you are thinking about a person, it’s like they’re right there with you. In Baptism, he washed you and created a new spirit within you. In the Lord’s Supper, he nourishes you for the challenges ahead. Jesus doesn’t stop being with you when you become forgetful or frustrated. He is with you in these moments as well. Guiding you and guarding you—like a good shepherd does the sheep of his flock. Jesus is with you even when you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed. Jesus is with you through your challenges and crises. He is with you when you’re feeling anxious or abandoned or just plain lost. Jesus is with you when you’re feeling angry or like your faith is fluctuating. Jesus is even with you when you’re saying painful goodbyes.

In these moments, Jesus is exactly who we need. Our instinct may be to look within first. But our strength, our resiliency, and even our connections with others cannot deliver us day after day. Jesus saves and sustains. Jesus carries our burdens, comforts us, and also gives us hope. He is with you as he has imprinted his Word on your heart and mind.  

That’s what we all need—not just for the summer, but for the rest of our lives. But maybe especially in the summertime. Whether this is the best summer ever—or just one you’re trying to survive—Jesus is with you. So bring your Bible and start your vacation mornings with his wisdom and love. When you’re making long weekend plans, carve out some time to be with your fellow believers in a new place. Your faith will grow and you’ll be even more certain that Jesus is with you—today, tomorrow and to the very end of the age. 

That’s our confidence as a congregation, too. In August, we will be moving from our current location in Goodyear, to Verrado Heritage Elementary School in the Buckeye community of Verrado. There will be some constants. Same pastor. Same time. Same people who have grown together in Goodyear. And the most important constant—Jesus. Each Sunday morning at 9am we will gather together to be strengthened by his Word and Sacraments.  

If you’d like to learn more about how you can join and support this change, I’d love to grab a cup of coffee with you. Text me at 623-312-8650 and we will set up a time. Change like this, and any change any of us might face, could be intimidating. But it’s not scary, because we’re not alone. Because we have Jesus’ promise: Surely I AM with you always. To the very end of the age.