Jesus Is Always There

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Words: Bertha Mae Lillenas (b. Mar. 1, 1889; d. Mar. 13, 1945)
Music: Bertha Mae Lillenas

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Bertha Lillenas)
Hymnary.org (Bertha Lillenas)

Note: Bertha Mae Lillenas was the wife of prolific gospel song writer and music publisher Haldor Lillenas. The Lillenas’s had two children. And Mrs. Lillenas was a gifted musician in her own right. An ordained elder in the Church of the Nazarene, she served as an evangelist, singer, composer and pianist. In 1934 she published a song called Jesus Is Always There, reflecting the promises of God’s Word. Her tunes are usually quite singable, and because she herself had a lower voice, the songs are often pitched within reach of those of us who can appreciate that.

It’s wonderful to have someone you can count on. Someone you trust to stick with you, ready to offer counsel, encouragement, or help in some way. “We’re there for you.” That phrase is part of the advertising for a dentist, a police force, a bank, a labour union, a television news outlet, and more. One even says, “There for you, no matter what.”

Realistically, though, we realize that these are human beings, and human organizations. They may fail to do as they promised, for a multitude of reasons. A husband or wife who has vowed otherwise may prove unfaithful. Or it may be discovered that a company or organization is corrupt and their pledge means little. Trite phrases such as, “We’ve got your back,” may actually mean they’re ready to stab us in the back!

Only Almighty God can be relied upon to always tell us truthfully and accurately the way things are. He is “a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He” (Deut. 32:4). Because of His holy perfection, “God…cannot lie” (Tit. 1:2).

“God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” (Num. 23:19).

This assurance relates to the promise of His presence with each believer. We know that God is what theologians call omnipresent. “‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’ says the Lord” (Jer. 23:24). But to the saints of God this has a more immediate and personal dimension. He is, in the words of the psalmist, “a very present help in trouble” (Ps. 46:1). The Lord is actively involved in our lives. “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper” (Heb. 13:5-6).

Though He’s promised to return one day (Jn. 14:3; cf. Acts 1:10-11) the disciples of Christ faced the prospect of His departure. The Lord had fulfilled His mission to pay our debt of sin on the cross, and had risen from the tomb. After some days of instruction given to His followers, He prepared to ascend back to His Father (Lk. 24:50-53). But among His last words are these: “Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:20). The Amplified Bible gives extra emphasis to that significant promise:

“I am with you all the days (perpetually, uniformly, and on every occasion), to the [very] close and consummation of the age.”

And “where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). “By this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us” (I Jn. 3:24).

Let it be noted that the divine presence is not only for times when things are going well, but when we are struggling too. We have the assurance of His compassionate understanding of our needs (Heb. 4:14-16), and of the resources of heaven to meet them. “God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19).

Lillenas’s song is certainly reassuring. Of the first line of the refrain I would add, “Never a burden that He doth not carry, if we ask Him to, and allow Him to. Sometimes, we suffer things that we need to bring to Him, “casting all [our] care upon Him, for He cares for [us]” (I Pet. 5:7).

1) Sometimes our skies are cloudy and dreary,
Sometimes our hearts and burdened with care;
But we may know, whate’er may befall us,
Jesus is always there.

Never a burden that He doth not carry,
Never a sorrow that He doth not share;
Whether the days may be sunny or dreary,
Jesus is always there.

3) When we are walking through the green pastures,
Or over mountains rugged and bare;
Precious the thought and sweet the assurance,
Jesus is always there.

4) “Lo, I am with you alway,” is written,
God will not fail to answer our prayer;
Trusting His Word, we rest on His promise–
Jesus is always there.

Questions:
1) Has there been a situation recently when you particularly sensed the nearness of the Lord?

2) In what way was this a blessing and a help to you?

Links:
Wordwise Hymns (none)
The Cyber Hymnal (Bertha Lillenas)
Hymnary.org (Bertha Lillenas)