Lonely: February 11, 2011

FEBRUARY 11, 2011. TODAYS WORD FOR FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11, 2011

LONELY

DEFINITION:

A depressing feeling about being alone; destitute of sympathetic or friendly companionship; without company; isolated.

SCRIPTURE:

“No one stood with me, but all forsook me. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me." II Timothy 4:16-17.

"Look to my right and see; no one is concerned for me. I have no refuge; no one cares for my life. I cry to you O Lord; I say, “You are my refuge, my portion in the land of living.” Psalm 142:4.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

How many times in life have you felt lonely? We all have had moments of loneliness. When David wrote Psalm 142, he was in hiding because Saul, who had been chasing David for years, was seeking to kill him so that he could not become the King of Israel. David was alone and felt no one in the world cared. But he did know that God loved and cared for him and that he could call on Him in his time of need. David kept his faith, knowing that God would keep him safe and he prayed asking God to rescue him so that he might be King, as God had promised.

The letter that Paul wrote to Timothy was written when he was all alone in prison and facing death. Like David, Paul knew who he could turn to and knew the Lord was with him. God gave him strength in his time of need.

Many people are lonely today because they have no relationship with God and no hope for tomorrow. We constantly see that the loneliest people in the world are those that do not know the Lord.

There are many situations in life that bring on loneliness such as the separation from a spouse, a family or a friend. Money is not the answer. Rich people are often very lonely. Watching TV, listening to the radio, going to a movie, playing games or visiting with a friend all help time to pass by, but they do not offer a lasting solution to being lonely. These "things" are superficial. They have no substance or lasting value, and cannot provide real satisfaction or sense of fulfillment. This is when loneliness sets in. If you are feeling all alone, now is the time to look to the Lord just as David and Paul did in their time of loneliness. God is waiting to be your friend and to give you comfort and hope for the future.

We have had the opportunity to travel to almost every corner of the world. And in these travels we have noticed the dramatic difference between people that have much and people that have so very little. But even more so we have noticed the difference between people that have a relationship with God [their lives radiate joy] and those who do not [they are mostly lonely, hurting and concerned about their tomorrows]. The contrast is overwhelming. Whether they have many "things" or have nothing really does not make the difference. Without God there is no smile, no hope and nothing but sadness. With God there is a big smile, singing, giving glory to God and excitement just for the opportunity of living. It is a contrast that is not only revealing to see but a contrast that reminds us that one will always ultimately be lonely without a relationship with God through His Son Jesus Christ.

Jesus understands our loneliness because He experienced loneliness. Think about the loneliness of Jesus as He was alone in the Garden of Gethsemane just hours before His death on the cross. Just think of His loneliness when He cried out to God on the cross: "My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Jesus endured loneliness when He died on the cross. He understood that He alone could pay the penalty of sin committed by all mankind so all of us could have the “blessed hope” of eternal life.

In His hours of total aloneness in the Garden of Gethsemane, who did Jesus turn to? His disciples had let Him down by going to sleep. They were not there for Him in His time of need. You can experience what David experienced in Psalm 142:5 (NLT), “Then I pray to You, O Lord, I say … ‘You are my refuge, You are all I really want in life.’” If you are feeling all alone and feel no one is there for you, then talk to God. He is waiting and He will not let you down.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in Psalm 23:6.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

PRAYER:

Thank You Lord for the sacrifice you made for me by dying on the cross to pay for my sins. And thank You Lord for rising again out of the grave so I can serve a risen Savior. Help me this day to be an encouragement to someone who is lonely. Help me to learn to pray for a world that needs to know Jesus. Bless my family today and thank You for providing for us far beyond what we deserve.