Never Forsaken
Lesson Four • Work to Rest
Devotion 3: Never Forsaken
Jeannie Yates
When I was growing up, my best friend’s family often opened up their home to children in the foster care system. Sometimes, it was for a little while, and sometimes the placements were long-term. I was a teenager when they made room for a sweet little girl; I will call her Jane. Jane seemed to fit right in with this family, playing with the other kids and adjusting well. However, they began to notice that she was not actually eating at meal times, yet her food was always disappearing. One day, when making her bed, they found food stashed all around her space. This was not just a little pile of goldfish crackers or fruit snacks but partially eaten corndogs, moldy bread, and remnants of dinners from her time there. Jane was hoarding food. At just three years old, she had experienced the profound neglect of not knowing when or if she would be given another meal, and she was not quite sure if she could trust this new family to feed her again.
In Hebrews 13:5, God promises, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” This is not the first or the only time in Scripture we see this promise. In Deuteronomy 31:6, the Lord told Moses to tell the Israelites, “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” Also, before Jesus ascended into Heaven, He reminded His followers, “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).
The word “leave” means so much more than just absent; it includes abandon, go way, depart, and desert. Likewise, when we look at the word “forsake,” we see a much deeper meaning: to neglect, renounce, or turn away from entirely. The New Living Translation puts it this way, “God has said, ‘I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.’”
The next verse in Hebrews 13 tells us why it is vital that we truly grasp the truth of this promise. Verse 6 states, “So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” Because God never leaves me, I can walk confidently, knowing He is my helper. Because God does not neglect His children, I no longer have to hoard my dinner scraps; He is my provider. Isaiah 43:1-3 beautifully reminds us, “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.”
Not long after arriving at my friend’s home, Jane was adopted by a loving family. She never had to scrounge for food scraps again. Jane not only had the opportunity to be fed regular meals, but her new family took her to church so that she could hear about the never-ending love of Jesus. As a child of God, you can lean into the promise that He will not withdraw His presence; He never abandons you. God will not withdraw His help; He never neglects you.