Miss Lonely Heart
Matthew 28:20 (NLT) " . . . And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Last night, I watched Hitchcock's Rear Window for the thousandth time. It is one of my favorite movies. In the film, Jimmy Stewart's character is confined to a wheelchair due to a broken leg. Bored out of his mind, he begins to take an interest in his neighbors, whom he watches through his living room window. One character that he becomes mesmerized by is a woman who lives alone. He begins to refer to her as "Miss Lonely Heart." Every night, she makes dinner for herself and her imaginary husband before taking a handful of pills and crying herself to sleep.
We all have moments in our lives where we do not feel very loved. Perhaps we even feel unworthy of love. Nothing is as bitter as the pain of loneliness or the feeling of being forgotten. Sometimes, when the headlines are filled with bad news or when tragedy strikes, it can be so tempting to wonder if God has forgotten us. But when we seek shelter in Christ and surrender to God, we find His love unending and His peace overwhelming. Even when we stray from His path or turn our backs on Him, He continues to pursue us and offer His boundless grace. No matter what we've done, we can never outrun or exhaust God's love. He watches over us always and desires us to draw close to Him so we don't have to feel lonely or forgotten. And even when we feel unworthy of His love, we must remember that we are precious in His sight and that He is delighted to love and care for us. Our value comes not from our efforts but from the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. God longs to shower each of us with His infinite love if we will only open our hearts to receive it. We don't have to be perfect. We just have to be willing to be loved and trade the pain of our loneliness for that holy connection.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving me so much that nothing in my past, present, or future can separate me from your love. Your love transcends all understanding and puts me on the righteous path every time I seek you in the midst of pain or confusion. Thank you that I can find comfort and connection in scripture whenever I feel lonely or forgotten. Thank you for leaving me with the promise that you are the God who leaves the 99 to find the one and the God who draws close to the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. In Jesus' name, amen.
Last night, I watched Hitchcock's Rear Window for the thousandth time. It is one of my favorite movies. In the film, Jimmy Stewart's character is confined to a wheelchair due to a broken leg. Bored out of his mind, he begins to take an interest in his neighbors, whom he watches through his living room window. One character that he becomes mesmerized by is a woman who lives alone. He begins to refer to her as "Miss Lonely Heart." Every night, she makes dinner for herself and her imaginary husband before taking a handful of pills and crying herself to sleep.
We all have moments in our lives where we do not feel very loved. Perhaps we even feel unworthy of love. Nothing is as bitter as the pain of loneliness or the feeling of being forgotten. Sometimes, when the headlines are filled with bad news or when tragedy strikes, it can be so tempting to wonder if God has forgotten us. But when we seek shelter in Christ and surrender to God, we find His love unending and His peace overwhelming. Even when we stray from His path or turn our backs on Him, He continues to pursue us and offer His boundless grace. No matter what we've done, we can never outrun or exhaust God's love. He watches over us always and desires us to draw close to Him so we don't have to feel lonely or forgotten. And even when we feel unworthy of His love, we must remember that we are precious in His sight and that He is delighted to love and care for us. Our value comes not from our efforts but from the sacrifice of His Son on the cross. God longs to shower each of us with His infinite love if we will only open our hearts to receive it. We don't have to be perfect. We just have to be willing to be loved and trade the pain of our loneliness for that holy connection.
Prayer: Thank you, Lord Jesus, for loving me so much that nothing in my past, present, or future can separate me from your love. Your love transcends all understanding and puts me on the righteous path every time I seek you in the midst of pain or confusion. Thank you that I can find comfort and connection in scripture whenever I feel lonely or forgotten. Thank you for leaving me with the promise that you are the God who leaves the 99 to find the one and the God who draws close to the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. In Jesus' name, amen.