5b For he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
Herein we have a reminder of God’s promise of His presence and tender care for all His people. The word “for” connects it to the earlier portion of this passage, which exhorts Christians to avoid a covetous life and to live in contentment. This divine promise is mentioned to encourage us to live contentedly with what we have in our peculiar circumstances. This promise of the Lord is intended to instil in us courage to live contentedly. These assuring words of the Lord are spoken to every child of God. The word “thee”, being singular, addresses every individual child of God. None of His children will be without God’s presence and provision.
This promise of God to every child of His is not just for certain occasions only, but it is for all times. The Lord said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” The word “never” tells us that no time is excluded. Even in hard times, He will remain with His child as his faithful God to help and guide him. This promise covers every circumstance and every moment in the life of a child of God. Be it in times of plenty or scarcity, the Lord shall be with His child. Dear child of God, are you going through times of great need or difficulty? Is your heart filled with anxiety? You should now say to your heart, “God, who has promised me that He will never leave me, is with me now. He will not abandon me in this hour of need. Oh, praise the Lord, who is my great companion and help!”
This promise also goes with His children wherever the Lord would lead them. To every one of them, wherever His providence would lead him, He says, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” When the Lord spoke to Joshua to strengthen him to lead the people of Israel into the land of the Canaanites to conquer it, He promised that His presence would be with him. The Lord promised Joshua, saying, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9). The Lord, who had been with all His servants wherever He sent them, will also be with each of us who trust Him and go where He leads.
When God is with us, we have all the good that we can ever have in our life. What comfort and confidence this promise brings to His children as they go through all sorts of difficulties, troubles, weaknesses, losses, desertions, strange places, and dangers!