So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10, NIV

 

“The winter of our discontent” is an excerpt taken from the famous opening soliloquy of Shakespeare’s eponymous play, Richard III.

 

I have just experienced my own dry season in the wilderness: a time when nothing seemed to work out as I hoped, God seemed especially distant, and my prayers went unanswered. At least so I thought.

 

I know I am not alone in this. Scripture teaches us to expect seasons of testing in our walk of faith. Sometimes, those seasons of barrenness can lead to feelings of brokenness, loneliness and abandonment.

 

But even when we have evidence that suggests otherwise, God, through the entirety of his Word, wants us to understand that he is with us every step of the way. That is, in essence, the good news of the Bible: that God became a babe and dwelt with humanity.

 

"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. … Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord." (Luke 2:9,11)

 

Yes, it sounds an awful lot like Christmas, doesn’t it? Yet, this biblical theme of God dwelling among his people is often described using the Jewish term "Shekinah", from the Hebrew root "shakan" (שָׁכַן), meaning “to dwell”.

 

This theme of God dwelling with his people is beautifully represented in the Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, which is currently being celebrated in the Jewish calendar.

 

By building booths and dwelling in them for seven days, Jews acknowledge that God provides and is security in uncertain, uncomfortable times. As Israel journeyed through the wilderness, God guided them by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, providing direction and demonstrating his presence with them.

 

The truth that God is with us should profoundly penetrate our hearts when we feel fear or find ourselves dismayed. Through God’s Word, may you and I receive comfort knowing that we are not alone in our struggles. God walks with us through all the trials, even when he seems silent or distant.

 

Amid it all, we can look to the lives of the men and women of old who communed with God and learn lessons from their lives. May this reality of God’s presence that shaped them permeate our own hearts.

 

Prayer: Lord God, you love us so much, even becoming a baby to demonstrate that love. Thank you for the extraordinary lengths you went to in order to reach us. Amen.