We love parties.
It’s my birthday! Celebrate! Come to my pool bash! Everyone will be there!
Then there’s the new job. We call up all our friends: “You can’t miss my promotion celebration! It’s the most important milestone I’ve ever reached!”
Finally, the clock strikes twelve, keys are retrieved from pockets and purses, and the partygoers filter away in the darkness of the night.
We only have ourselves for company.
Where did our good times go? The cake has been eaten, the pool is empty, and all we have for company is our promotion medallion to put on our desk.
Is it enough?
Sometimes, in the real world, that’s all we get: A dirty plate, who-knows-what floating in the water, and a cold piece of metal to sleep with at night.
It’s not enough.
Romans 8:35-39 tells us:
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, ‘For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.’ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
God doesn’t go home when the party ends. He sticks around to load the dishwasher, clean the pool filter, and polish that medallion.
Isaiah 41:10 reminds us:
“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
God trusts us to depend on him, and he comes to us bringing the solace that only he can offer. He tells us how to initiate his outflowing of comfort in James 5:13:
“Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.”
Always, he is our shelter in the time of the storm. Here are three additional examples of the love of God that fills us up in our lonely times:
Psalm 111:10:
“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!”
John 14:6:
“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ ”
Matthew 24:35:
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.”
Parties are wonderful. Let’s throw one every chance we get, especially in our churches: Baptismal parties; Superbowl parties; It’s-Saturday-Night parties! Who cares what we call it. Let’s celebrate Jesus!
Then, when the party is over, let’s remember this important thing: The Lonely Times don’t have to be lonely at all. Let’s turn them into Jesus Times, and they will be the best experiences we can ever have.
Jesus is the companion that sticks around, even when all the party favors are used up, and everyone else goes home.
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