The Promise of His Presence by Rose McCormick Brandon

I will never [under any circumstances] desert you [nor give you up nor leave you without support, nor will I in any degree leave you helpless], nor will I forsake or let you down or relax My hold on you [assuredly not]!” Hebrews 13:5(b) AMP

My roommate from college never married. She moved west, away from me, years ago, which meant I didn’t see her for almost three decades. We shared phone calls and emails, talked about my children and her siblings. One day she called to say she’d been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The disease ate at her life quickly, forcing her into retirement and isolating her. Frequent trips to the hospital, dependence on others for groceries and medications stole her freedom. A frantic worry about the future tinged the edges of her voice. I heard, “What will become of me?” between the lines of our conversations.

Months passed. She talked about her parents and happy childhood memories. About the Bible and how she still enjoyed in-depth study. Instead of anxious worries thoughts of heaven crept into our talks. One day through tears she quoted a stanza of a hymn:

Just think of stepping on shore and finding it Heaven.

Of touching a hand and finding it God’s.

Of breathing new air and finding it celestial.

Of waking up in glory and finding it home. ⁽¹⁾

At the end of this conversation she said, “I want you to know that in spite of my sufferings I always feel the presence of God.”

I always feel the presence of God. Those words calmed my concern for her. In my mind she had one foot in a nursing home and the other in a grave. But God was there in her apartment, sitting on the sofa beside her, reading and praying, sharing her suffering.

Not many months later she stepped into Heaven and found herself breathing celestial air in God’s forever.

“For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail nor abandon you (Deut. 31:6).” You can count on Him to be there in your tomorrow. That’s a promise. 

(1)     Finally Home by Don Wyrtzen

***

Rose McCormick Brandon writes books, articles, biographies and Bible lessons from her home in Caledonia, Ontario. She's married to Doug, has three adult children and three grandchildren. Rose is the author of One Good Word Makes all the Difference, Promises of Home - Stories of Canada's British Home Children, Vanished, He Loves Me Not He Loves Me. She presently knee-deep in writing a daily devotional book.