At my first defense, no one stood by me, but everyone deserted me. May it not be counted against them. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me, so that the proclamation might be fully made through me and all the Gentiles might hear. So I was rescued from the Lion’s mouth. The Lord will rescue me from every evil work and will bring me safely into His heavenly kingdom. To Him be the glory forever and ever! Amen. 2 Timothy 4:16-18   HCSB

I will confess to you that The Lone Ranger has been one of my favorite shows for as long as I can remember. I remember being school age and being fussed at because I would get so wrapped up in The Lone Ranger that my mom feared I would be late for school. Roy Rogers was another of my favorites.  For a while there the two came on back to back just about the time I should have been getting ready for school.

Now if you have never heard the story of how the Lone Ranger originated, I encourage you to read it sometime as it’s a really cool story. But, we know that he was the only surviving Texas Ranger after an ambush left the other five dead. While he was the only ranger on the show, we know that he was accompanied by his trusty friend Tanto.  Roy Rogers had Dale Evans and Pat Brady assisting him. In Genesis 2:18, we are told that God decided that it was not good for man to be alone.

I’m sure that we all like to have a little “me” time. We like to spend time on our own doing things that we like to do, but some of us just don’t like to be alone. My dad was one of those people who didn’t like to be alone.  As a teenager my social life was extremely important and I could usually be found hanging out with my friends on Friday and Saturday nights. But I can remember times when my mom would be out of town and I would rent some Clint Eastwood movies and stay home with my dad. I knew he didn’t like being there alone. Of course, now that my dad is gone I am grateful for every second that I had with him and every fond memory.

I used to think that my mom enjoyed being alone and I think for most of her life, she cherished the rare occasions where she had the house to herself to relax for a couple hours. However, after my dad passed away, mom was lonelier than I realized. Although I tried to spend time each day with her, when she finally moved in with me is when I realized how lonely she had been at home.

One thing that we can count on is that whether we are lonely by choice or for some other reason, we are never alone. God promises in many passages in the bible that He will never leave or forsake us.  In Matthew 28:20, he tells his disciples that He is with them always, to the end of the age. In John 14:18, he tells us he will not leave us as orphans; he will come to you.

When my first marriage ended in divorce after my husband had an affair with his coworker, I was devastated and crushed.  I had never felt more lonely in all my life.  I thank God for my family. I was able to turn to them and they were able to comfort me. I don’t know what your situation is today. But I do know that even if you feel lonely, you are never alone.  God is right there beside you. He will carry you when the load is too heavy for you to bear.  In our scripture passage today, Paul says that when all others deserted him that God stood with him and gave him strength. He wants to do the same for you and He will if only you will let him.

If you are feeling down or lonely, know that God is with you. Know that he stands eager to come to you and help you. Trust in Him to do that. Trust in Him to give you love and strengthen you. And know that as long as you stand wrapped in His love, you will never be alone.

Have a great day!