“….and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.” – Matthew 28:20

I will never forget the moment when Jesus visited me in a vision. My body just went numb.

He spoke a language that I didn’t know but I understood everything He said.

One of the things He said to me was; “I am with you.”

Our meditation today is derived from a short period when Jesus was saying His final words to His disciples before He was taken up to heaven.

“And lo I am with you always,” He said. The key word that I picked out is “always.”

Did you know that ‘always’ is not necessarily synonymous with ‘daily’?  Whereas ‘daily’ means every day, ‘always’ means at all times or on every occasion.

Indeed it was fascinating for me to learn that in the original language, ‘always’ is not a single word.

It is a phrase – en panti kairo – which means ‘at all times’ or ‘in every season.’ The phrase thus conveys the idea of continual, endless or constant presence or occurrence – in all seasons.

For everyone, life in this world happens in cycles, sometimes called ‘seasons of life.’ There are seasons of happiness and sorrow; times of plenty and scarcity; periods of feeling high or low, etc.

But regardless of the season you might be in, God says; “Lo I am with you en panti kairo.”

“I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me.”

PSALM 16:8

That in essence conveys the idea of the ‘omnipresent God’ – the God whose presence is everywhere at all times.

Against that background, saying that “I am with you always” demonstrates that Jesus is the true Immanuel, “God with us.”

I want to declare to you that God is with you en panti kairo – He will never leave you nor forsake you whatever the season. Hallelujah!

‘Always’ speaks to the constant presence of God – unchangeable and unwavering – and more so in this ever-changing world.

In line with His promise to the disciples, He was always there in all seasons providing guidance, comfort, protection, provision and strength to His people.

“I am with you always” stresses the importance of continual spiritual development in fellowship with the saints for He said that ‘where two or three gather together in My Name I am in there in their midst.”

In a world that is primarily focused on temporary pleasures and material pursuits, ‘en panti kairo’ reminds us to maintain an eternal perspective, regardless of the season.

“Always’ is a powerful reminder to us to be unwavering in faith and trust in God at all times, regardless of the season or the circumstances, challenges and uncertainties of life.

Additionally, it is an eternal cue for us to abide in righteousness – to remain loving, compassionate and kind – always irrespective of the situation, aligning our thoughts, words, and actions to the will of God in whose presence we always abide.

Finally, ‘always’ should be a reminder to us to maintain a lifestyle of prayer and worship, remaining connected to the divine realm at all times, for guidance and power to emerge unscathed out of every season or circumstance.

As David said; “I know the LORD is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me” (Psalm 16:8, Living Bible).