God never wanted any of us to be alone

He can be present with me as I’m writing this devotion, just as He can be present with you as you’re reading it. But more than being here among us, He is with us.

“For the mountains may move and the hills disappear, but even then my faithful love for you will remain. My covenant of blessing will never be broken,” says the Lord, who has mercy on you. (Isaiah 54:10)

When was the last time you felt alone?

I’ve experienced being alone many times, but I like being alone. I’m such an introvert, being alone is happy for me most of the time. I enjoy the quiet. My mind is such a crazy place, getting away by myself is usually the only time I can hear myself think.

But I do remember once time when I wasn’t just alone, I felt alone. It was on one of my many solo cross-country road trips. I was in between destinations, on my way to Boston to pick up my brother, my sister-in-law, and some friends at the airport. I was living in Atlanta at the time, and driving from Atlanta to Boston just sounded like fun. So I did.

I had planned my stops along the way, of course. I stayed with a dear friend in Virginia. I stayed in an old Brownstone in Albany. And I had planned to car-camp in between at a campground in rural Pennsylvania. It was down the road from a city, so on the map it looked like a perfect spot, nestled in a beautiful part of the Allegheny Mountains.

But then I got there.

It was beautiful. And it was down the street from a city, although it was more of a village than a city. And it was further out than I expected. And the camping areas were so steep, I didn’t think I could get my front-wheel-drive sedan down and back up again without trouble. And in the entire campground there was only one other person, set up at the far end but not currently present for me to evaluate. And, I didn’t have cell signal.

I got out of my car and stood at the top of the mountain, and I felt alone. Like really alone. If I had trouble, there was no one to help me. Sure, there was another camper, but I didn’t know who they were. And I was so far outside of my native area, I didn’t trust the location or the people who lived there. I had pepper spray. A flash light. And a utility tool/pocket knife.

I was alone.

I didn’t like it.

Have you ever been there? In a moment when you realize that you’re helpless? That you don’t have control? That no matter what you do, you can’t change your situation? That the trouble you’re facing is so big, so inescapable, so all-encompassing that you are entirely powerless to make a difference?

Nobody wants to be alone. Not like that. Not even anti-social, over-peopled introverts.

I’m not sure what it is about facing trouble that makes you wish you had backup. Even if it’s just to talk to someone about what you fear, it helps to have someone with you.

I think that’s why God tells us over and over and over that He won’t ever leave us or forsake us. That He’ll never abandon us, no matter if we turn on Him. That He will be faithful to us even if we aren’t faithful to Him.

From the very beginning, we’re talking Genesis 2:18, God recognized that it wasn’t good for humans to be alone. Out of all He created in those initial six days, that was the only thing God said wasn’t good: Man being alone.

So all throughout Scripture, God has promised to be with us. Today’s verse was initially given to Israel, but this is one of those promises that is true for all of us, Israel and the Church. Being everywhere all the time is one of the characteristics of God: His omnipresence. He can be present with me as I’m writing this devotion, just as He can be present with you as you’re reading it.

But more than being here among us, He is with us. He is within us (if you know Jesus). If we have Him, we won’t ever be alone. That’s His promise to us. Even if everyone you love forsakes you, God won’t. Even if you have to leave everyone you know behind, God will go with you. Even if there’s no one left who remembers you, God does.

As much as we are His, He is ours.

And, for those of you who want to know, no, I didn’t stay in that campground. I came down off the mountain, booked a hotel room in Syracuse, and picked up a pizza on the way. And, yes, God would have been with me in that campground, but He was also with me while I enjoyed my hotel room and my pizza.

Our circumstances don’t dictate whether He stays with us or not. His promise does, and God always always keeps His promises.

For Deeper Study

• Read John 10:25-29.

• Why does Jesus tell the people they don’t believe Him?

• What do you think goes into being one of Jesus’ sheep?

• What is the significance of Jesus saying that no one can snatch His sheep away?

For Reflection

• If God has given you something and promised to never take it back, who is able to take it away from you?

• How does that concept affect your view of your salvation?

• When was a time that you felt alone but knew God was still with you?

Weekly Memory Verse