A comforting and eternal promise throughout Biblical Scripture is that God will never ever leave those who are His. Hebrews 13:5 says, in part, “He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you’” (NKJV). In a world that is so ever changing and where people are constantly leaving, whether in a family, relationship, or in death, God’s promise of never leaving is super encouraging.
The promise “I will never leave you nor forsake you” was first given to Israel and Joshua before entering the Promised Land (Deuteronomy 31:6). Encouragingly, Moses reminded Joshua that, as the succeeding leader, “the Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8). Joshua’s task of taking the Promised Land seemed impossible, but with the Lord the task was possible, for He would not forsake Joshua.
Never will I leave you. At salvation, Christians are permanently indwelt with the Holy Spirit, who is God Himself (Acts 5:3–4). Christ affirmed that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, would be with His followers always (John 14:16). Also, Jesus told His disciples that He would be with them “to the very end of the age”—a promise that has to include present-day believers (Matthew 28:20). The God who promised to never leave Joshua is the same Lord who says He will never leave believers today.
At the end of the day, this eternal promise should give us courage, hope, confidence, and rest because praise be to God; He will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8; Joshua 1:5; Hebrews 13:5). We are never ever alone, “never [ever] abandoned by God” (2 Corinthians 4:9, NLT), or ever separated from His eternal love (Romans 8:38). God is omnipresent or present everywhere. His eyes “range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).
4GIVEN 