Say Never

Justin Bieber sang a song, and in fact even his film about his life and career was called Never Say Never.

And for the most part I do agree: never is a very strong word that should be used lightly.

However, this week I read this in Hebrews:
"Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

This 'God has said' quote comes from Deuteronomy 31:6 in which Moses charges Joshua with the words from God:
"Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

God, the One who inherently cannot lie, the One who's promises are always true, uses the word 'never'.

Do we take it as never? Do we believe this never? Or do we hear Bieber singing in our ear: "never say never". A voice in your head saying "this sin is too big for God's never", "this brokenness is too much for God to never forsake you", "the never of God can't handle this failure of yours".

But when we remember that Jesus said on the cross "it is finished", that never becomes forever true. Because through dying on the cross, Jesus paid the price for every past, present and future sin and failure that caused the great divide. He was forsaken that we would never be (Forsaken Friday).

In Jesus, in His death and resurrection, we will never be left or forsaken and that never is indeed an absolute never.