As an English professor and a pastor, the theme of love always finds itself in my focus. There are clearly many facets of the concept of love. One that has stood out to me since my college years came from on the most impactful professors I had. During a British Literature lecture, she stated her personal definition of love. She contended if you can sit in a room with a person without speaking to or even looking at him or her and feel deep contentment, then love is present. In other words, the most powerful expression of love is simply presence.
As I have grown older, this definition has continued to resonate in my mind. I often find myself in hospital rooms, funeral parlors, and nursing homes trying my best to comfort hurting people and their families. The burdensome question in my mind never really lessens: what can I say that will truly help? This past year, my wife lost her mother after a long illness. I found myself struggling in silence, looking for the best way to provide strength and comfort. What I have discovered in these circumstances is the power of presence.
In moments of deep sorrow, words often feel inadequate. In those moments, what people seem to need most is not explanation, advice, or even answers. What they need most is someone willing to sit beside them in the silence. A hand on the shoulder. A quiet seat in the room. A willingness to share the weight of the moment without trying to fix it. Presence says something powerful without speaking at all. It communicates, You are not alone.
This truth reminds me of one of the most comforting promises Jesus ever gave His followers in Matthew 28:20. Before ascending to heaven, He spoke words that have echoed through centuries of uncertainty and hardship: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Notice what Jesus did not promise. He did not promise that life would always be easy. He did not promise that storms would never come or that sorrow would never visit our homes. Instead, He promised something far more meaningful—His presence. Life will inevitably bring hospital rooms, waiting rooms, and quiet moments of grief. There will be seasons when answers feel distant and strength feels thin. Yet the promise of Christ remains steady through it all: He is present.
Just as a loving friend or family member can sit quietly beside us and bring comfort simply by being there, the presence of Christ brings peace to the troubled heart. Even when our prayers seem wordless and our thoughts feel scattered, He remains near. Perhaps that is why the Psalms so often speak of God as a refuge and a shelter. A refuge is not simply a place where problems disappear; it is a place where we are protected and not left to face the storm alone.
Over the years, I have come to realize that some of the most meaningful moments of ministry happen in silence. A pastor sitting beside a hospital bed. A friend standing quietly at a graveside. A husband holding his wife’s hand in a moment of loss. In those moments, love does not need a speech. Love simply stays.
And in the same way, the promise of Jesus is beautifully simple. No matter how uncertain the road becomes, no matter how dark the valley may seem, His presence remains. Sometimes the greatest expression of love is not what is said, but who is there.
According to the promise of Christ, we are never alone.
Rev. Bradley Robbins is the Pastor of the Decatur Church of God, 14558 Highway 503, Decatur, MS 39327
