Senior Living - May 30

A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. --Proverbs 18:24

There was a “Ziggy” cartoon recently that pictured the short, pudgy guy sitting alone in a boat. He was drifting on the water toward a tunnel with a sign above it that read, “Tunnel of Meaningful Relationships.”

Loneliness plagues so many people in our society. Surprisingly, a study by the American Council of Life Insurance revealed that the loneliest group of people in America is college students. Then come those who are divorced, welfare recipients, single mothers, rural students, housewives, and the elderly.

Chuck Swindoll, noted author and preacher, pointed out how lonely people can be from an ad posted in a Kansas newspaper. It read: “I will listen to you talk for 30 minutes without comment for $5.00.”

The person who placed the ad wasn’t joking either…because there were those who actually answered the ad. It was only a matter of time before the person who placed it was getting 10 to 20 calls a day. The sharp pain of loneliness was so intense that some were willing to do anything just for 30 minutes of companionship with someone else.

Life may seem lonely for you, but there is a friend we have that sticks closer than a brother—Jesus. Lean on Him in your darkest hours. Jesus experienced loneliness on the cross. While He was perfect as God, He also experienced the same things we do as human beings. And even though Christ felt abandonment on the cross, God was there the entire time, seeing Him through it all.

If you are lonely, know that Jesus is constantly holding your hand as you walk through life. You will never be lonely with Him by your side. 

PRAYER CHALLENGE: Ask the Lord to take away your loneliness, and thank God for His constant presence in your life.