I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU!

"“When your days are fulfilled that you must go to be with your fathers, that I will set up one of your descendants after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. “He shall build for Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. “I will be his father and he shall be My son; and I will not take My lovingkindness away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. “But I will settle him in My house and in My kingdom forever, and his throne shall be established forever.” " (1 Chronicles 17:11–14)

It is not at all uncommon for me to hear Christians express the fear that one day they will make Saul’s mistake, and that God will depart from them forever (1Sam. 15:22-23). They will sin, do something they ought not to have done, fail to make some sacrifice that they ought to have made, or fall short in some duty that they ought to have completed, and that God will wash His hands of them once and for all. For some, this fear dogs their steps, like gnats (pesky, tiny insects, we used to call them, “Flying Teeth!”) swarming a gardener on a Spring Day in Savannah.

Our text this morning contains God’s answer to this insecurity. It is the Davidic Covenant between God the Father and Great David’s greater Son. Did you notice, God expressly promises never to take away His lovingkindness, His steadfast covenant love from His Son. He will never dethrone Him. He will never become a cast off like Saul. 

Here is a voice to silence the Christian’s fear. In God’s mind we are part of Christ. We live in union with Him. He is our head; we are His body. Christian, never think of relating to God behind the back of this union. There is no life or health for your soul without it. It is the foundation of all your comfort. 

Think of what this union conveys to you: In Christ you have every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. In Christ God is your Father. In Christ you have been redeemed. In Christ you have forgiveness. In Christ you have access in one Spirit to the Father. In Christ you wrestle with and overcome temptation. Christ is your life. The old life and the old you who used to live it are dead. Christ is in you the hope of glory. This is the believer’s only security, and it is the only one she ever needs.