Loneliness

Prayer For REVIVAL in America

SCRIPTURE

Nothing I say makes my pain go away but keeping quiet does not help either.

Job 16:6, ERV

QUOTE

Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery’s shadow or reflection: the fact that you don’t merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer. I not only live each endless day in grief, but live each day thinking about living each day in grief.

~C.S. Lewis

COMMENTARY

It is one thing to grieve but to grieve alone intensifies our grief. All of Job’s ten children had been killed by a tornado. Job’s wife was a beast and I am being nice. She advised him to give up his integrity, curse God and kill himself. How would you like to lie down beside that each night.  Job thought he had some friends but he discovered to his dismay that they were not real friends and they made miserable comforters. They assumed that God was punishing job for some sin and so they were full of judgment and condemnation which was the last thing that Job needed. I think the two greatest emotional pains are loneliness and rejection and Job felt them both. Job did not have one friend in this world who cared enough to listen to what he had to say, not one. Job had spent his life helping others but when he needed help, no one responded. Job suffered from an injustice. He was the victim of a diabolical prank. The best friend in the world is the one who will listen sympathetically without passing judgment and Job did have that kind of friend here on earth but he believed that he had One in heaven. I see Jesus in what Job said…[16:19-21]…“Earth, don’t hide the wrong things that were done to me. Don’t let my begging for fairness be stopped. Even now there is someone in heaven who will speak for me. There is someone above who will testify for me. My friend speaks for me, while my eyes pour out tears to God. He speaks to God for me, like someone presenting an argument for a friend. What a friend we have in Jesus!

EXTRA

We had 40 in children’s church Sunday. Shohn was thrilled and so am I. We had more kids to sing Sunday night than we’ve had since were started: Ellie Mae and Bree joined our children’s choir and the band played for us. Matthew laid out on us. I’ll have to get over there and jack him up but it was probably his mama’s fault. We also had a very good offering and our overall attendance was up. Vellene’s surgery went well, she should get to come home today. She’ll have to take it easy for a couple of weeks. Kenny Holladay went in to DGH last night. He aspirated and was still in some pain when I talked to him around 7:00. I’m going up first thing this morning. Great response on the Pencil Boxes.