Right Beside You
I remember as a kid learning to swim at the beaches in Hawaii. On this particular Sunday, my
family and I had gone to a beach in the city of Nanakuli on the island of Oahu. This beach was
known for its crashing waves and strong currents. By now I had gradually learned to swim in
waters that were calm to waters that were a bit rough. But now at the beach in Nanakuli, I would
face a real test of my swimming skills.
There is a rule in Hawaii that most people follow when they are planning to enter the waters.
That rule is to never go alone or if you are going alone, let someone know where you are going.
The waters of Hawaii are beautiful but can be dangerous as well if you are not familiar with the
ocean currents and precautions of the area.
I recall entering the waters of Nanakuli beach and having a sense of confidence. This confidence
was not because I learned the skills of swimming. But rather because as I swam, I knew that I
was never alone. We used the buddy system as a family because there was always a lot of us who
would go to the beach together. We were accountable for each other and we were never to enter
the waters alone. That day at the beach I remember my partner reminding me always that I was
not alone, “I am right here beside you.”
Throughout the New and Old Testaments, God repeatedly says, “I am with you.” This is the most
frequent promise in the Bible. This was the purpose of Jesus, the Messiah, prophesied to be
called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”
Wherever you may find yourself today, God is with you. God will never abandon you; He
promises to be with you all the time. “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you;
He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy
31:8).
Grace and Peace
Pastor Semu
family and I had gone to a beach in the city of Nanakuli on the island of Oahu. This beach was
known for its crashing waves and strong currents. By now I had gradually learned to swim in
waters that were calm to waters that were a bit rough. But now at the beach in Nanakuli, I would
face a real test of my swimming skills.
There is a rule in Hawaii that most people follow when they are planning to enter the waters.
That rule is to never go alone or if you are going alone, let someone know where you are going.
The waters of Hawaii are beautiful but can be dangerous as well if you are not familiar with the
ocean currents and precautions of the area.
I recall entering the waters of Nanakuli beach and having a sense of confidence. This confidence
was not because I learned the skills of swimming. But rather because as I swam, I knew that I
was never alone. We used the buddy system as a family because there was always a lot of us who
would go to the beach together. We were accountable for each other and we were never to enter
the waters alone. That day at the beach I remember my partner reminding me always that I was
not alone, “I am right here beside you.”
Throughout the New and Old Testaments, God repeatedly says, “I am with you.” This is the most
frequent promise in the Bible. This was the purpose of Jesus, the Messiah, prophesied to be
called Immanuel, meaning “God with us.”
Wherever you may find yourself today, God is with you. God will never abandon you; He
promises to be with you all the time. “The Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you;
He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy
31:8).
Grace and Peace
Pastor Semu
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2 Comments
Thank you for the devotional! It's good to know that God is ALWAYS there.
It's wonderful to be reminded, especially since we tend to overlook these things and attempt to solve our problems independently. Thanks for the timely reminder that we're not alone in this journey.