Thursday, July 9, 2009

All alone?

"You'll never know that God is all you need until God is all you've got."

-- A friend of mine.

 

Oftentimes life can seem lonely.  As a pastor and a husband, I can tell you that even though you may be surrounded by people most of the day there are times when you can feel all alone.  The business manager can feel the same way.  The stay at home mom can feel the same way.  The factory worker can feel the same way.  Anyone can experience loneliness, which is ironic: Loneliness is the one emotion that can be felt by many, but never shared. 

 

I once had the opportunity to work for a HVAC (heating and air) supply house.  There were not that many of us working at this particular location.  In fact, there was only one warehouse worker for a long time… me.  Ten hours a day, five days a week.  Just me and the near deafening sound of a badly tuned forklift.  Don't get me wrong, that job had two major pluses:

 

1.  It provided for the needs of my growing family.

 

2.  It provided me with an amazing opportunity to study the Word of God for ten hours a day, five days a week.

 

I had an iPod and asked my boss if I could listen to sermons and Bible teaching while I worked.  He said, "Sure.  Just make sure that your work gets done."  Well, I made sure all my work was done and in the process I gained a deeper understanding of the Word of God.  What in the world does that story have to do with loneliness?

 

There were times when I felt like it was only me, but a great portion of the time I could not escape the truth that there were two persons in that warehouse… the Holy Spirit with me.  Sometimes, all we need is a gentle reminder that we are not alone.  And when we have that confidence it makes a real difference.

 

Joshua was set and ready to tackle the world… or so we think.  In the first chapter of the book that bears his name our hero is told four times, "Be strong and courageous."  You only tell someone that if they are not being strong and courageous or if they are looking at what seems like insurmountable odds.  There was something going on in Joshua… something that only the Lord could see and in that peaceful and loving way He says:

 

"As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." Joshua 1:5

 

We are given the same promise in Mathew 28… Jesus will never leave us not forsake us.

 

If you are a believer and feel all alone today, let me encourage you with this truth: You only feel alone, for Jesus is with you.

 

And that is something to rejoice over!

 

Shalom.

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