Billy Graham is reported to have said that when a person
feels lonely in a crowd, that is God whispering, “Come to Me.”
Every person experiences loneliness, regardless of
culture, social standing, and even if people are all around us. Yes, I can be
alone for days and be content, but I can be in a room full of people as well — and
feel alone.
Regardless of that feeling, sometimes we are literally
alone. It was true for Paul who experienced desertion, opposition, and
rejection, but he knew that he was never alone. He wrote to a young pastor
named Timothy:
“Do your best to come to me soon. For Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia. Luke alone is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is very useful to me for ministry. Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, also the books, and above all the parchments. Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds. Beware of him yourself, for he strongly opposed our message. At my first defense no one came to stand by me, but all deserted me. May it not be charged against them! But the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. So I was rescued from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (2 Timothy 4:9–18)
The Lord promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake
you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Paul knew this. He had been abandoned, but he knew that he
was never alone.
I know it too. Someone wrote that God can be compared to
the atmosphere around us. It is always there, as is the God who promises to be
always there. When I think about the presence of the Lord in that way, I feel
the slight pressure of Him near me, all around me. He stands by me and knowing
He is here is a source of strength and comfort that even the closest of friends
cannot give.
He makes other promises too. He is for me — always on my
side. He takes care of my needs, defends me, and prays for me . . .
“What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? . . . No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:31–39)
^^^^^^^^^^^
Jesus, nothing can separate me from Your love, and nothing
can separate me from You. You are always with me, through good times and
trials. I can depend on You when everyone and everything else proves
unreliable. You are my hiding place, filling me with songs of deliverance
whenever I am afraid, or lonely, or alone. Nothing can take You away from me!
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