God Never Abandons Us

“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord handed Jehoiakim king of Judah over to him … and he brought them … to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.” – Daniel 1:1-2 NASB

For many Israelites, this must have felt like the darkest of times. Jerusalem and the temple had been destroyed. Their treasure was gone. Their king and many of their people had been taken into exile by mighty Babylon. Nothing of any value or importance remained behind. Their position could have defined hopelessness.

The Bible tells us God never abandoned His people. They had been exiled because of their disobedience and idolatry, but as the prophet Jeremiah, who lived at this time, realized, God’s mercies are new every morning. His faithfulness is great, even when we are unfaithful (Lamentations 3:22-23).

Even while the Israelites were in exile, some people sought to follow and obey God. Men like Daniel rose to be a witness for Him in this foreign land and this seemingly hopeless situation.

In many ways, this time of exile served as a purifying agent to help them put their lives in perspective and realize what they had done.

It forced them to realize that kingdoms could rise and fall. God remained sovereign over every nation and all people. He can and will accomplish His purposes even if we fail Him and even if we fall short.

Today remember that these truths apply to you. No matter what you are going through, God has not abandoned you. He is with you.

You can trust your life to Him.

Reflection Question: Reflect on a time when you felt God was testing and purifying you.