Psalm 139:7-12 Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your Presence? If I go up to heaven, you are there. If I make my bed in hell—there you are! I rise on the wings of dawn. I settle on the far side of the sea. Even there your hand guides me, and your right hand holds on to me. And if I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me and the light will become night around me,” then even the darkness will not be too dark for you. The night will be as light as the day. Darkness and light are the same to you. (EHV)
Being a parent of a child with special needs can be a lonely life. How many tears have been shed when you were not able to join friends or extended family because you had to take care of your child? It is a challenge to plan vacations or special trips because you never know when something with your child will come up and ruin your plans. How often have you made plans to go out and have some adult time, only to cancel? Then you see the Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram posts of all the fun and interesting things everyone else gets to do while you are stuck at home with your child. Why does it seem as though everyone else in the world is able to enjoy company, and you barely have enough time to drink a cup of coffee?
If this isn’t bad enough, then the thought hits you, “I am all alone, and even the Lord seems to have left me.” We can take only so much before we break down. Think about how lonely life became when Covid-19 struck! Hopelessness stares down upon us with its cold, icy glare. Lord, where are you!? We need the Lord to calm our lonely hearts. Psalm 139 is the calm we need when loneliness sets in.
The overwhelming theme of these verses is the fact that the Lord is everywhere. No place or situation exists where the Lord is not there. When we are stuck at home, the Lord is there. When we must cancel plans with our friends, the Lord is there. When we need to change a vacation, the Lord is there. The reality in our lives is that we are never alone. Jesus himself promised, “And surely I am with you always until the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Jesus devoted his life to you. His dedication to you is clearly seen at the cross. Jesus was so determined to be with you that he was willing to be left alone on the cross. Not even the Father stayed with him!
Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness of loneliness. Let Jesus fill you with the light of hope when loneliness sets in. Remember, no matter where you go or what situation you find yourself in, the Lord is there right by your side. And he is not about to leave you on your own! The Lord is always there.
Oh Lord my God, you promised to be with your people in every situation. Fulfill your promise, and come to me. Be my help in times of loneliness. When hopelessness sets in, let the light of your presence push back the darkness. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
by Patrick Feldhus