Neglected and Abandoned

Driving the back roads of Jackson County, Georgia I came across a couple of old barns. By the looks of them they have not been used for some time. Time has not been their friend either. It is obvious that they are slowly caving in due to weather and lack of maintenance.

It would not surprise me if there are some reading this post who can empathize with the condition of these old barns as you too may feel lonely, abandoned and neglected. As people get older, friends pass on into eternity, and family moves farther away, the days become longer and the phone gets much quieter. We find "friends" on Facebook that we will never meet but seem to connect with, but it just isn't the same as the touch of a loving partner, friend or relative.

You can be certain of one thing though... you may be in a house or room all by yourself, but you are never alone if you know Jesus. The following words were spoken to Joshua from Moses, but they speak into our lives as well:

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." (Deuteronomy 31:8)

The writer of Hebrews also reaffirms that good word from God when he says, "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5)

We can spend our time wishing that our circumstances were much different, pitying our lives as if we (like the barn) were neglected and abandoned, or we can be content in the place we are and realize that in the stillness we can commune even closer with God who promises to never leave us nor forsake us.