DAILY WORD

We live in the midst of the technological revolution, which has allowed for instant communication and almost constant access to information, and yet people are increasingly experiencing isolation and aloneness. Many people feel as though they are standing in the middle of a crowded room crying out for help, and yet no one listening. The anxiety caused by the current financial crisis is only exacerbating an already significant problem in the lives of many Americans.

As Christians, we are not immune to these experiences of isolation and aloneness. We often think of God as distant and indifferent to our needs and desires, an attitude which only serves to heighten our sense of loneliness. However, the author of the Letter to the Hebrews reminds that Jesus “was tempted in every way,” and because he has been tempted or tested just as we are, he is able to “sympathize with weaknesses.” Jesus had wilderness experiences. He was grieved. He experienced loss. He wept. He struggled with his own sense of purpose and destiny. He felt pain.

We are not alone. We have been given a Savior who lived, breathed, and died as one of us. And because Jesus knows our weaknesses, we can run to the throne of grace with confidence and boldness. It is at the feet of Jesus that we will find grace and mercy in our time of need, because Jesus has been there; he has experienced sorrow and weakness. As we continue our Lenten journey, a journey that often takes us into the wilderness of our own hearts, let us be reminded that we are not alone, but the One who knows us better than we know ourselves is with us.

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