Lost and Alone

 

Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble and gathered in from the lands, from the east and from the west, from the north and from the south. Some wandered in desert wastes, finding no way to a city to dwell in; hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted within them. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. He led them by a straight way till they reached a city to dwell in. Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love, for his wondrous works to the children of man! (Psalm 107:1-8 ESV).

 

The psalms are real; they don’t ignore or downplay life’s struggles and fears. That’s one reason why they are such a treasure for so many people. Our reading today, Psalm 107, addresses several difficulties faced by mortals in this world: being lost, imprisoned, afflicted with disease, and tossed about by a storm. Today the experience of being lost may include trying to find our way amid the myriad choices and complexities of our world. Being imprisoned for rebelling against God may include our addictions to various destructive habits. All of these may have more specific names, but if they result from ignoring or defying God, the need for God’s forgiveness and help still resonates in our hearts and souls.

 

We can cry out in our need, and God guides, frees, heals, calms the storm, and in a multitude of other ways blesses his people. Trouble does not have the final word. So we give thanks to God for all he has done, and we name and bear witness to the ways we’ve been rescued from trouble. Looking ahead toward your next opportunity to gather with a community of faith, begin to think through your need to receive the strength through faith that you need.

 

I liked the meme chosen for today. It speaks encouragement to me: “You may feel lost and alone, but God knows exactly where you are, and He has a good plan for your life.” This is the God who has chosen us. He has called us by name and adopted us into His eternal family. He walks with us in the good and the bad, knowing that all of it will ultimately bring good in our lives because He will see to it.

 

If you feel lost and alone, look to His presence. He is no further away than a whisper!