Psalm 142:1-7

Loneliness is one of the most difficult challenges for us to face.  God made us to live and function in the context of community.  We live in families, our families live in neighborhoods, we gather in groups of like-minded people for the purpose of entertainment, conversation and worship.  When we are forced by circumstances to be separated from all of those relationships we begin to feel desperate and can even border on insanity.  This was David’s reality as he was fleeing from the presence of Saul and literally on the run for his life.  When we feel that we are all alone, have been separated from our community and are surrounded by those who only want our harm; we can follow David’s example in this passage.

TELL THE LORD ABOUT OUR DIFFICULTIES: The reality of the life of every believer is that we are never alone.  No matter how far we are, geographically speaking, from our families and communities; God is always with us.  There is no place that we can go that is apart from Him.  We can always cry out to Him when there is no one else with whom we can speak.  When we are isolated from those who love us and are surrounded by those who want to harm us, God is right there with us.  When we are alone, we tend to think that nobody knows what we are going through and worse yet, that nobody cares.  That is simply not true.  God does know all about our problems and He cares very deeply for all of His children.  In our times of desperation, one of the best things, if not the only thing we can do is cry out to the Lord and tell Him about our difficulties.


TRUST THE LORD FOR OUR DELIVERANCE: When it seems like we are surrounded by impossible circumstances, God is the God of the impossible.  He is able and willing to deliver us from the most difficult of circumstances.  He truly is our refuge, source of strength and faithful protection.  When we are overwhelmed and our strength is all gone; God can be our strength.  God is faithful to deliver us according to His will.  God delights in showing Himself strong in the lives of His children that are under distress and trust in Him.  He is able to replace the fear in our hearts with thanksgiving and praises to the Lord.  He is able defeat the enemies that have surrounded us and place us once again in a loving and righteous community where we can rejoice and worship God together.  That is the reality of all who have placed their faith in Christ.  Even if we are tortured and killed, we are assured of a loving and righteous community where we will worship and praise our Lord of all of eternity.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Isaiah 54:1-17

Hope is a wonderful blessing from God, without which we would be vulnerable to all kinds of destructive tendencies in our lives.  Today’s society is marked by depression, anger, fear, anxiety and self-righteousness, in large part, because of the sense of hopelessness that prevails in our culture.  Isaiah writes to a people who are about to be taken into captivity because of their sin.  God knows that they will feel rejected, threatened and hopeless so He reveals His future plans for the nation in order to give them hope in the midst of the coming trial.  Hope is the expectation of good based upon the promises of God.  Many times when our lives are marked by the sins mentioned above it is because we have forgotten or failed to focus upon the promises of God’s Word. THE PROMISE OF GOD: From the very first day that God revealed His plan for the nation of Israel, He promised numerous descendants.  God chose Abraham, not because he was more righteous than a...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:3-7

I thank God   whom I serve, as did my ancestors,   with a clear conscience, as I remember you   constantly in my prayers night and day.    As I remember your tears,   I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy.    I am reminded of   your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and   your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.    For this reason I remind you   to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us   a spirit not of fear but   of power and love and self-control. It is easy for us to forget many important things especially in the face of difficulty or danger.  Paul is in prison and Timothy is facing difficult times in ministry so there are important reminders that Paul wants to make sure that Timothy understands.  God has given us everything we need to face the difficulties He allows i...
Read more

2 Timothy 1:8-14

Therefore   do not be ashamed of   the testimony about our Lord, nor of   me his prisoner, but   share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God,   who saved us and   called us to a holy calling,   not because of our works but because of   his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus   before the ages began, and which now has   been manifested through   the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus,   who abolished death and   brought life and   immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But   I am not ashamed, for   I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until   that day   what has been entrusted to me.  Follow   the pattern of   the sound words   that you have heard from me, in   the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. ...
Read more