So upon searching the phrase "He/I will never forsake you or abandon you" in the New American Bible (NAB), I came across a fun coincidence (if those exist). Both Deuteronomy 31 and Hebrews 13 have those words. The verses are as follows:
Deut. 31:6 - "Be brave and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the LORD, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you."
Hebrews 13:6- "...for he has said, "I will never forsake you or abandon you." Thus we may say with confidence: "The Lord is my helper, (and) I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?"
These are so beautiful, with a very similar message, and part of me suspects St. Paul (working under the Holy Spirit, of course) wasn't opposed to restating that beautiful part of Deuteronomy with the inverse verse number (I'm still hung up on 31 - 13).
Either way, this is so wonderful. God himself tells us that he is faithful.
Consider the times God has spoken of who he is. He says, "I AM". He claims his all-knowing, all-powerful, all-and-only-good being. And through Christ we hear other names such as "I am the light," "I am the living bread," "I am the way and the truth and the life," etc...
Here we have another beautiful expression of the depth and power of God in his infinite goodness - total fidelity. He is the one who is faithful. He will never abandon us. Rather, he goes before us in all things, making the path before us that we are to tread.
In John 14 he says, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going, you know the way."
Truly, he is truth, and the truth is that he is faithful, far beyond our understanding and comprehension. He will never forsake us or abandon us. As it says in Exodus 14:14-
"The LORD himself will fight for you; you have only to keep still."
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