Today's Devotional

August 5, 2005

Subject:  The Beauty Of Presence

1 Timothy 5:5 - "Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day."

The passage above indicates that a woman who has no family places her trust in God and continually prays to Him.  This is a very positive attribute about being alone, but being left alone in this world is also referred to in the scriptures as a bad thing as indicated in the following verses:  

Psalms 40:15 - Let them be desolate for a reward of their shame that say unto me, Aha, aha.

Psalms 69:25 - Let their habitation be desolate; and let none dwell in their tents. 

Isaiah 49:21 - Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?

Being alone is one thing, but loneliness is another.  Loneliness is a leading factor in causing depression, anger and in the worst cases, even suicide.  With all of those downsides, one would think that no one would want to be left without someone to communicate with or to talk to.  That's probably true, but often we simply don't recognize how good we've got it.  

A friend once asked me, "are you gonna get tired of me?"  I responded, "I sure do hope so."  I said that because to get tired of someone means that they've "been there."  It's what I call "the beauty of presence."  I want my daughters to get tired of me because it means I've been there.  Many children grow up wishing their parents had simply been there.  

Are you grateful for the people in your life?  Do you see others as getting on your nerves, getting in your way or is it a blessing to simply have them there?  Remember the alternative is to be left alone.  Like that verse in Psalms, "God setteth the solitary in families..."  That's not just the natural family.  For all who are lonely He is the greatest Father and can give you countless brothers and sisters in Him and He will do that when we understand the beauty of the presence of those He has already given us. 

Carlen