“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

These are truly the most comforting words I can think of right now, and I offer them to you for your consideration. One of the many names for Christ the Messiah given by the prophet Isaiah is Immanuel or “God with us.” From the beginning it was His design. We were created for fellowship. That’s why we are in His image; so we can communicate and understand each other. God wants to talk to you. He wants you to talk to Him.

Paul says that the hope of glory is Christ in us (Colossians 1:27). Not just Christ with us — walking alongside us — which would be pretty cool indeed, but this is even better. This is Christ in us. You can’t get more intimate than that. He is in us by way of His Holy Spirit, and once He is in us, He can never leave us. It’s His promise. We are sealed with the Spirit.

These are not just words. This is not just theology. This is experiential truth. He is with us always. It’s part of His name. God cannot go against His name. And if God is with you, what do you think you could endure? Anything, including death itself.

And just in case that isn’t enough, He says He is with us “to the very end of the age.” God doesn’t have an escape clause in our lives. He’s not going to slip away at the last minute. He is with us to the end. And that word for “age” here can also mean the end of the world or the end of time. Take your pick; they all mean the end of any kind of lifelong measurement we can comprehend.

This is important today when it seems like the world has never appeared so unstable, at least in my lifetime — so near the end. But Jesus says, “I am with you to the very end of the age.” Hear those words. Breathe in; breathe out. Immanuel. God is with us.

We are surrounded by confusion and instability on all sides. Fear is the predominant emotion. Society and the democratic structures we have counted on in this country for so long are all in question. Can we vote? Can we count the votes? Can we trust the count? Who can we trust?

There is only one — the one who said, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”