Alone: January 23, 2012

TODAYS WORD FOR MONDAY JANUARY 23, 2012.

ALONE

DEFINITION:

Apart from or the exclusion of others or things; solitary; separate.

SCRIPTURE:

I lie awake, and am like a sparrow alone on the housetop. Psalm 102:7

I will both lie down in peace and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety. Psalm 4:8

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

Almost every day we receive either an email, meet a person, read about someone in the newspapers or see on television a person that is devastated, frustrated or simply feeling helpless all because he or she is alone. Being alone can be devastating for most people because they have literally no support in life.

The Hebrew word for alone is Badad and is used in Leviticus 13:46. In this verse it is recorded that the Lord was speaking to Moses and Aaron about health regulations to deal with leprosy. Down through history people with leprosy have been separated to some location alone (badad). They are isolated from their family and all who do not have leprosy. Being a leper and certainly alone must be one of the loneliest situations that a person could be in.

In Isaiah 1:25 the word alone (badad) is used again in the context of one separating himself from all the impurities of life. The Psalmist uses (above verse) the word badad meaning solitary, being able to lie down in peace when he is alone with the Lord.

Take yourself back to the day Jesus was crucified. When on the cross Jesus took our sins upon Himself and was completely separated from His Father. Just think how alone Jesus was as He hung on that cross, He cried out to God. “Why hast thou forsaken Me?” It is not humanly possible for any of us to understand just how alone Jesus felt on the cross. Just the anticipation of being separated from His Father brought Jesus to His knees in the Garden of Gethsemane and caused Him to pray asking the Father, “If possible let this cup pass from Me.” He asked not once, but three times. God’s great love for all of us made it impossible for the Father to let the cup pass from Jesus. In obedience Jesus went to the cross carrying on His shoulders all the sins of the world. He died, carrying our sins, but the good news is that He rose again and is now in heaven preparing a place for us to spend an eternity with Him.

When one who knows Jesus begins to feel alone he or she has the comfort to know that being a child of God we have Him right by our side to comfort and encourage us. The bad news is that all those who have not received Christ’s great gift of salvation are separated from God our heavenly Father. They are alone unless they come to God through Jesus Christ receiving forgiveness for their sins and they will remain separated from God for all eternity.

Do you lie awake at night feeling like a sparrow all alone on the rooftop? Or do you lie down and sleep in peace because you have put your trust in the Lord? It is the Lord alone who brings peace and makes us dwell in safety.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Peter 2:2-3.

As newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the Word that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

PRAYER:

Help me to remember that as a child of God that You are with me at all times. Today may I be an encouragement to someone who is alone and living in frustration. May the joy of Jesus shine out through my actions and in my words.