No Man Stood with Me
At my first defense no one stood with me . . . But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me; -II Timothy 4:16-17
There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24
At the time of trial we all want to have friends around us, to back us up, to support us. No one wishes to be alone in their darkest hour. Yet this is where the great apostle found himself, in the olive press utterly alone; well almost. . . When all the men fled, someone did stand with Paul, someone who understood what it was to be totally alone, someone whose disciples forsook him and fled, and someone whose own father turned his back on him in his darkest hour. When all others fled, Christ stood with Paul. What a comfort! When it seems the whole world has turned against you, who else would you want by your side? An angel? A mere man? Or the sovereign Lord of the universe?
The author of Hebrews tells us that the Father put all things in subjection under Christ’s feet.1 When I’m in over my head, who better to have on my side, than he who is above all things. Christ himself said I will never leave you nor forsake you.2 I remember years ago leaving my home town and taking a job as a truck driver. I was amazed when I discovered that thousands of miles from friends, family, and fellowship; God was still there. In fact, many of my most precious moments with God, have been in the midst of crushing trials, when I was completely alone with Him. No darkness can overcome His light. This is one of the reasons we can rejoice in trials, they bring an intimacy into our walk with God that can be achieved by no other means.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39
1. Hebrews 2:8
2. Hebrews 13:5
