Loneliness is common in our world today. Whether it comes from a divorce, a broken friendship, travel for our job, a prison sentence, or something else, loneliness can leave us feeling as if life is empty and futile. With the author of Ecclesiastes, we might find ourselves wondering about our purpose. Even the so-called "good things in life"—wealth, power, pleasure—have only a limited ability to satisfy us.
This was not always the case. In the beginning, God saw that Adam needed companionship, so God created Eve, a "helper suitable for him" (see Genesis 2:18). In the beginning, our relationships with each other and with God were good and fully satisfying.
Sin, however, introduced envy and competition into human relationships. Now husbands and wives, family members, coworkers, neighbors—people from all places and backgrounds—find themselves at odds. Human cooperation and friendship require new risks that were not present in the original creation. Sin leads us away from the voice of God. But no new relationships with others can be as dependable as the faithfulness of God.
God knows our loneliness. And despite our unfaithfulness to him, God promises his people protection, help, and security from the destruction of sin. Are you seeking the Savior's companionship today?
Father, when we are lonely, let us seek your presence through Jesus Christ. Remind us that when you are with us, we are never alone. Amen.
About the author — Joel Vande Werken
Joel Vande Werken has been a pastor since 2007, serving churches in Sussex, New Jersey, and in Whitinsville, Massachusetts. He and his wife, Brandie, have five young children.
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