GOD IS WITH HIS CHILDREN ALWAYS!

Even to the born again believer, life is a struggle.  Jesus said, "These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (Jn. 16:33).  The Book of Ecclesiastes describes what life has in store for all of us if we live long enough; Solomon wrote:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
       - A time to be born, and a time to die;
       - A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
       - A time to kill, and a time to heal;
       - A time to break down, and a time to build up;
       - A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
       - A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
       - A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
       - A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
       - A time to get, and a time to lose;
       - A time to keep, and a time to cast away;
       - A time to rend, and a time to sew;
       - A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
       - A time to love, and a time to hate;
       - A time of war, and a time of peace" (Eccl. 3:1-8).

At any given time, we may be experiencing one or more of these, and to be quite honest, we are probably going through both good and bad simultaneously.  The tragedies tend to cloud the blessings, but if one steps back and thinks about all God is doing, even during our storms, we are comforted. 

Yesterday, my dear Mother-in-Law arrived at her final destination:  the very presence of Jesus.  The Apostle Paul stated this fact about the Christian's death as an "immediate relocation" in 2 Corinthians 5:8 - "We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord."  So, today our family is both mourning and celebrating.  We mourn her loss in our present lives, but we are happy, maybe even jealous of her current residence!

God's Word tells us that even though Jesus is now seated with His heavenly Father, He is also here, present with us.  He said, "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Heb. 13:5).  And, the Holy Spirit, properly called our Comforter, is not only with every born again believer, He resides within us (Jn. 14:16-18).  John wrote: 

"I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever; even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him; for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.  I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you."

There is such peace in knowing my Mother-in-Law is with Jesus!