One Word
This winter on The Daily Pattern we’re in a series called One Word. Each day we take one word – a feeling or circumstance – and bring a word from God to it. Let the Word of God speak to your life.
Invocation
Make the sign of the cross, and say,
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Invitation Prayer
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matt. 5:4) O Lord, I suffer grief and loss. You alone are my comfort. Amen.
Word: Isaiah 41:9-10
I took you from the ends of the earth,
from its farthest corners I called you.
I said, ‘You are my servant’;
I have chosen you and have not rejected you.
So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Meditation
Isolation by Anna Jacob
Isolation has become a common word during these past couple of years. It seems difficult to discuss it without mentioning our most recent history with it. Certainly, disease has caused us to isolate. Government mandates have separated us. Fear and judgment and personal opinions have created a division which can make one feel alone, isolated from the world. Yet even with those experiences, we are never truly alone.
One powerful story from the Old Testament comes from Daniel when he was thrown into a lions’ den. Isolated from the world, he sat in darkness and surrounded by the threat of death. Yet Daniel did not despair. Betrayed by his king and those in his community, Daniel held on to his faith. He may have been alone physically, but spiritually, Daniel’s God was there with him. In the darkness. In his despair. In his isolation.
God never leaves you. Through the ages this has been true and continues to be true. Even in your own self-imposed isolation or when other circumstances are thrust upon you.
He was with Abraham and Sarah in their old age.
He was with Isaac on the mountain.
He was with Joseph in Egypt.
He was with Moses in the desert.
He was with Daniel in the lions’ den.
The list goes on and on. And you are on that list.
As he tells us in Matthew 28:20, God has chosen to be, “with you always, to the very end of the age.” God fulfilled this promise by sending his one and only son, who on a cross experienced true isolation, so that we may one day live eternally with him.
Lord, thank you for your continued presence in my life. Help me to remember your promise to be with me always, even as I face those moments of isolation, knowing I do not have to face them alone. Amen.
Prayer for Life as a Child of God
· For the Father to give me care and guidance.
· For forgiveness when I wander and want my own way.
· For the Father to keep me childlike in faith even as I age.
· For growth in faith, that I love and trust in God above all things.
· For strength to obey God.
· For the Father to heal my hurts.
· For assurance when I doubt.
Closing Prayer
O Lord, your ways are not our ways. Teach us your will, even when it appears backwards. We want to know you. We want what you want. Thy will be done, in Jesus’ name. Amen.