“Remain united with me always and in all circumstances” (Inner Word).
There is no doubt that our Father, for His part, remains united with us without interruption as long as we live in His grace. We also know that if we stray from the straight path, He will certainly seek us out. Therefore, the exhortation is addressed to us not to allow anyone or anything to lead us one iota away from the straight path of following Christ.
On this path there may be times of dryness when we do not feel the tender love of our Father. There may be times when we feel abandoned and think that the Lord has forgotten us or has even turned His back on us. There may be times of doubt or disappointment when, although we have prayed intensely and sincerely and have not fallen into serious sins, a certain event we have hoped for does not come to pass.
Ultimately, all this is a test of our faith, so that we hold on to God’s promises even when everything around us is dark. The act of faith may be totally naked, but then it will be even more valuable because we will trust our Father and His Word more than in what we feel or want.
This is an important formation to deepen the walk with the Lord, and we should keep recalling the Word when we are plagued by despair on the inner and outer levels. We may even have to face scoffers who want to ridicule or relativise our faith.
At such times it is important to turn completely to our Father, to make acts of faith and trust, to remember how many times God has saved us from all kinds of situations, and not to allow ourselves to be so overwhelmed by difficulties that they deprive us of the freedom to remain united with our Heavenly Father.