When God Stays Close
Alright, now, by golly, Butterbean, you’ve gotta’ come right on up here to this here front porch and git to ‘a-settlin’ yourself on down for a lil’ ol’ spell. I got a chair right over here that ain’t been ‘a-creakin’, ‘a-wobblin’, or ‘a-complainin’ lately like a lil’ ol’ lonely goat ‘a-standin’ on a hot tin roof in the mid-day sunshine. Today we’re ‘a-lookin’ straight at Hebrews 13:5 that done is ‘a-sayin’, “I will never leave you or forsake you,” which is done ‘bout as steady and comfortin’ as a mama cow ‘a-keepin’ watch over her baby calf in a wide open pasture. That there verse is our real anchor, our big theme, and our constant reminder that our good God done is ‘a-stickin’ closer than a sharp, prickly, sticker burr all twisted up in a hound dog’s tail.
Well, Butterbean, Hebrews 13:1-6 is ‘a-givn’ us a whole long list of ways to be ‘a-livin’ like the kind o’ folks who are done ‘a-knowin’ that God is with them all the time. We gotta’ be ‘a-lovin’ one another. We gotta’ be real hospitable. We gotta’ be ‘a-rememberin’ them there hurtin’ folks. We gotta’ be ‘a-honorin’ marriage. Keepin’ our lives real free from that there love of money. And right in the middle of all that there, God done is ‘a-leanin’ in and ‘a-tellin’ us, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5. That there is His lovin’ way of sayin’, “Child, you don’t have to be ‘a-chasin’ after shiny things to be ‘a-feelin’ real secure ‘cause I’m right here with you.”
Now, Butterbean, I done read somethin’ the other day about Simon Cowell, that fancy television feller (from Britain’s Got Talent Show), sayin’ he didn’t know a single rich person who was actually real happy. Bless his heart, he might be onto somethin’ right there. You can have real deep pockets done stuffed fuller than a chipmunk ‘a-preppin’ his nest for winter and still be ‘a-feelin’ emptier than a feed bucket after the goats done got loose. Money can buy a lot of things, but it ain’t ever ‘a-gonna’ be able to ever buy real peace, real joy, or the kind of real contentment that done gits ta’ settlin’ your soul like a real warm, fluffy quilt on a cold winter night.
Truth is, Butterbean, our own real comfort don’t come from what we done own. It done comes right straight from the One Who done owns us. The Lord Himself is ‘a-walkin’ with us through them there times o’ thick and thin, through them there days o’ sunshine and storms, through them there days that gitta’ sparklin’ and days that git ta’ feelin’ like a lil’ ol’ rooster ‘a-crowin’ at the wrong hour of the mornin’. When the world gits ta’ hollerin’, “You need more,” Scripture is done ‘a-whisperin’ back, “Be content with what you have.” Hebrews 13:5. ‘Cause God is with you, and that there’s more than enough.
Father, be ‘a-helpin’ me to be ‘a-knowin’ real deep down that Your presence is truly my greatest treasure. Be ‘a-teachin’ me to be content, grateful, and steady in Your love. Be ‘a-keepin’ my heart from chasin’ after things that can’t be satisfyin’ and be ‘a-drawin’ me real close to You every single day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Before you go ta’ steppin’ off this here front porch and git ta’ wanderin’ back into whatever is ‘a-callin’ your name today, Butterbean, you gotta’ be sho’-nuff’ ‘a-lettin’ this here truth be ‘a-settlin’ into your lil’ ol’ heart like a light morning mist ‘a-settlin’ over a quiet field o’ wildflowers. God’s presence is done sturdier than an old oak tree ‘a-standin’ through a hundred fierce storms. His faithfulness is done ‘a-holdin’ tighter than a lil’ ol’ barn cat ‘a-clingin’ to the warmest windowsill ‘a-catchin’ sunshine on a cold winter day. And His love is done ‘a-fillin’ you up way deeper than one o’ them there artesian wells that don’t never run dry. So, you git’ ta’ walkin’ on now, real content and real confident, ‘a-knowin’ you’re not never alone and not never forsaken, not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Ain’t our God good?
With joy,
Gwen
