I Am With You To The Very End

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

Have you ever felt like God has put you in an impossible situation? Or maybe you feel He is asking you something far beyond your capabilities? This is probably what the disciples thought when Jesus gave them this command: “Go and make disciples of all nations.”

Of all nations! How could they do that?

I imagine the fear, the doubts, the incredulity. They knew Jesus. They knew He is God and that His will is perfect. But… to all nations?

I remember the first time I traveled from Caracas to Amazonas. We traveled by bus for more than 15 hours. After 6-7 hours, the only thing I could see was land. And more land. And then we crossed a river. And more land. And we crossed another river. And more land and then the Orinoco River. And we crossed the Orinoco and one more hour of land after, we arrived in Puerto Ayacucho.

My head was spinning. Oh Lord, where are you taking me? I was a newlywed and my husband was excited to take me to his hometown. I knew God was calling me to serve Him in the jungle and had prepared for that trip.  But I was so tired and felt so overwhelmed by everything that I wanted to run away. In Acts 1:8 we see the command to be witnesses to the end of earth.

Well, I felt at the very end!

Jesus knew what the disciples were thinking. He knew they were puzzled and scared. He knew the task was huge and difficult. That it was much bigger than they were.

Jesus gave them His commands:

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.

And then He gave them His promise:

And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

“We don’t go in our own strength. We go in the authority of the one who created and redeemed the world.” – John Piper

He may be asking you to take on an impossible task. He may be asking you to do something for His glory, to extend grace, to forgive someone who has hurt you. He may be asking you to relinquish something you like, to cut that friendship, to make that phone call. He may be asking you to give more. More of your time. More of your money. More of your comfort.

Whatever God is asking you to do, He gives you the same promise He gave His disciples when He commanded them to go to all the world:

I am with you. Always.

It is His authority that sends us, His authority that guides us, and His authority that empowers us.

The power is in Jesus.

When the task seems impossible, don´t think of all the things you can´t do. Look up to Jesus. Own the power you have in Him. Remember that He is with you always, and that there is nothing you can´t do through Him.

Jesus sent His disciples with a mission to fulfill, but He did not send them alone. The promise of His constant presence was more than enough to strengthen and guide the disciples as they obeyed Jesus in making disciples of all the nations.

I am with you. Always. To the end of the age.

Let the sweet voice of Jesus whispering to your ear this beautiful promise today. Let His presence empower you to do the task He has asked you to do.