A few years ago I worked in a nursing home. As I spent time talking to these men and women, at some point nearly every patient would describe the loneliness of their present lives and the realisation that they were outliving their peers. Most wondered if anyone would remember them when they passed from this life.

It isn’t just the elderly who can feel lonely and forgotten. In fact many of us feel trapped and alone, set aside by circumstances fair and unfair. Sometimes we even experience what the Old Testament character Joseph did: people failing to remember us when there’s every reason they should.

Genesis 40 describes Joseph’s experiences as he was trapped in prison. The cupbearer had been freed and returned to the king’s service, just as Joseph told him would happen (vv.9-13). Joseph had asked to be mentioned to Pharaoh, but the cupbearer forgot him (vv.14,23).

We may feel forgotten. Yet, like Joseph, we are not (42:9-13). Jesus sits at the right hand of God, and our prayers reach the throne of the King without fail because our Saviour is our Mediator. When we feel alone, let’s remember to rest in the confidence of Jesus’ promise to be with us forever (Matt. 28:20).

Jesus never abandons or forgets His own.

Author

Randy Kilgore

Topics

Our Daily Bread