The website had a glitch that we are trying to figure out. You can go back and read yesterday’s devotional as well as today’s, albeit a tad bit late. Hopefully this will not be an issue tomorrow.
Frances Pesek of Detroit, Michigan had a heart of gold according to his daughter, L.J. As he looked around him, Frances couldn’t help but notice people who were lonely, especially those in nursing homes or shut in. He submitted National Cheer Up The Lonely Day to the folks at National Day Calendar to enlist others to reach out. The day is actually celebrated every July 11th in honor of his birthday.
As we sit in church today, take a look around and notice the faces that are missing that were once there. From the pastor’s perspective, allow me to grind an axe for a moment. There are those missing who have experienced health setbacks who once were the epitome of faithfulness. Until they got sick or debilitated, they never missed a service. Now, their time in the house of the Lord has ended because attending is impossible.
However, there are those in perfectly healthy, capable bodies who wouldn’t even know if the doors of the church closed or if the Sunday evening or midweek hour was cancelled because they are irregular in attendance or never come. Many of them used to be faithful but somewhere along the line, their passion for the Lord faded. Those who hunger and desire for the fellowship and feeding around the table of God’s Word can’t while those who could won’t.
That just doesn’t seem right, does it?
Those who could be/should be in church are something to address in another devotional – or an entire sermon! This devotional is about the lonely and those who have lost that connection they desperately need. What are we doing about it?
There are so many verses that could be easily applied to this situation. Here’s what I’d like for you to do. Before you read any further, pause for a moment and envision someone you know is lonely, someone who is one of our shut-ins. Got them in mind? Okay, read on…
Matthew 22:37-39 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Matthew 7:12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Romans 13:10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
Galatians 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
1 Thessalonians 5:14 Now we exhort you, … comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
While the verses do not specifically use the word “lonely,” it shouldn’t be difficult to see that we can apply this to those in the lonely category. Make today a day where we devise a plan to reach out to the lonely to offer them the cheer of familial friendship and love.
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. (17) But whoso hath this world’s good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? (18) My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” (1 John 3:16-18
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