Happenings April 24, 2023 to 30, 2023

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Musings on God’s Word

I was reading in one of our devotionals this week about loneliness. According to the article the number of Americans feeling lonely has quadrupled since 1990. Certain European countries have identified that up to 20% of their population is feeling lonely. In Japan, elderly folks have resorted to crime so they can have the companionship of inmates in Jail. There are entrepreneurs out there who have seized on this problem with some they call “Rent-a-Friend? Really! Yet it is another symptom of the world we live in. Loneliness can cause many other problems for ones physical and mental health. When the rent-a-friend employee was asked who her clients were she described them as lonely, 30-40 year old professionals. They work long hours and don’t have time to make many friends. Is this just another sign of the problem society has had since the breakup of the family?  Two adults both working yet still wanting to have family or the professions that get in the way of the family that most of us grew up knowing from the 50s and 60s

Ecclesiastes 4:8

1. 8. There is one alone, without companion: He has neither son nor brother. Yet there is no end to all his labors, Nor is his eye satisfied with riches. But he never asks, “For whom do I toil and deprive myself of good?” This also is vanity and a grave misfortune.

   The rest of Ecclesiastes chapter 4 goes on to remind us of the value of a Friend.

   9. Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. 
   10. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up.

Relationships bring more value than “stuff” or wealth. You can have all the money in the world but loneliness will still afflict you. True friends can’t be rented, we need to invest in real friendships not fake or contrived but real. 

 The best real friendship is our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. That’s the best investment one can make.

John 15:15

15. No longer do I call you servants, … … … but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.

Proverbs 18:24

24. A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Friendship is more than just being together or spending time talking and listening but also has the possibility of suffering for one another.

John 13: 34 & 35

34. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, as I have loved you, that you also love one another.
35. By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.

As Christians we may still suffer loneliness but our loneliness can and should be mitigated by our relationship with Christ and Christian friends. We must not forsake the gathering of ourselves together in order to stay close to God and close to our Christian Friends.

A favorite hymn that reminds us of that is “What a Friend We have in Jesus”

1. O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer
2. Have we trials and temptations? Is there trouble anywhere? We should never be discouraged, Take it to the Lord in prayer
3. Can we find a friend so faithful, Who will all our sorrows share? Jesus knows our every weakness, Take it to the Lord in Prayer.

I trust the words of this song will be a reminder of who we worship, honor and obey and who can take care of the loneliness or anything else that is troubling us in our life. Place your full trust on Jesus and lean on Him.

When Barb and I were first married we had the joy and privilege of musical friends who had records produced by Word Records in Vancouver. One duo sang a song entitled “I’ll never be lonely again” so I’m sharing the words to that song as well.

God Bless you all.

JACK PEAKE
250-510-4299
JBPEAKE174@GMAIL.COM