One of
the highlights of English football (soccer) each year is the final match of the
annual FA Cup Final. For more than a hundred years, the day has been marked by
excitement, festivity, and competition. But what fascinates me is how the game
begins. It starts with the singing of the traditional hymn “Abide With Me.”
At first
that struck me as odd. What does that hymn have to do with football? As I
thought about it, though, I realized that for the follower of Christ it has
everything to do with sports, shopping, working, going to school, or anything
else we do. Since there is no corner of our lives that should not be affected
by the presence of God, the longing that He would abide with us is actually the
most reasonable thing we could desire. Of course, the presence of our heavenly
Father is not something we need to plead for—it is promised to us. In Hebrews
13:5, we read, “For [God] Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake
you.’”
Not only
is God’s presence the key to our contentment, but it is also the promise that
can give us wisdom, peace, comfort, and strength—no matter where we are or what
we are doing.
Our greatest
privilege is to enjoy God’s presence. (RBC)
