Abandoned

Life is pain

The world is a difficult place. The world takes no prisoners. The world prowls around seeking who it may devour. The world will abandon you. The--world--will--abandon--you.

"Life is pain, Highness, anyone who says differently is selling something". Dread Pirate Roberts

If you are human, you have surely felt abandoned some time in your life. Sure, some have it worse than others, but let's not kid ourselves, we all feel it some time or another.
It might be by a family member, or a friend. How about a teacher or a co-worker. A parent or a government.
We all feel it.

When you feel it, what exactly does it feel like?

REJECTION!

That's what it feels like. It feels like rejection.

Do you know why?

Because it IS rejection.

When we are abandoned, we are left in favor of something else. We are rejected and that other thing, whatever it may be, is chosen over us.

When we are abandoned we desperately want to feel loved, to feel accepted, to feel wanted, to feel like we belong.

But Jesus...

When I was growing up my parents were divorced and I lived with my mom and my brother.
It might just be me, but I always longed to belong somewhere.
I knew I technically belonged with my mom, but there was a major disconnect. I wanted a whole family where I belonged.
I suppose I knew I was loved, accepted, wanted and belonged, but I didn't feel like I did.

Was it my mom's fault? I won't blame her. I was a confused kid with a broken family in a difficult world. My mom was just another casualty of a world crushing power that seeks to destroy families.

The bible calls this destroying power, sin. We know it by all its ugly consequences. We feel its consequences every day.

There are some of you that know me today and might think, "Marc's a good guy and he's really got it all together".

But I know my life. I know how the world kicked the crap out of me. There was a time when I lost the fight with the world. I remember loneliness--drunkenness--fear--suicidal thoughts--rejection.

But Jesus...

Bears repeating--BUT JESUS!!

Who am I?

When I was a child I didn't know who I was. I say child loosely--I didn't really grow up until I was thirty.
None of us know who we are outside of the family of God. We spend our entire lives trying to figure out who we are.
I'm a business man.
I'm a father.
I'm a Yankee.
I'm a Southerner.
I'm a Socialist.
I'm a teacher.
I'm a Hell's Angel.
I'm Muslim.

And on and on it goes for every one in the entire world.
We desperately want to know who we are so we can know where we belong. When we know where we belong, we know who we can trust. When we know who we can trust, we know who will love us and listen to us.
When we hurt all we want is for someone to understand us--to listen to us--to love us--accept us--want us--and to make us feel like we belong.

Has God abandoned us? Or has He adopted us?

I am adopted,
I am holy, a saint,
I am forgiven,
I am loved,
I am protected,
I am in the family,
I am in Christ,
I am not alone,
I am secure,
I am sealed with the Holy Spirit,
I bear the image of God,
I am saved.

Have you, Christian, ever asked yourself, "Where was God when I needed Him"? "Why doesn't God answer me"?

We all know that the best advice when someone comes to you with a hurt is to shut up and listen, right? Hurting people rarely need a fix or some expert advice.
When pain comes, we need a listening ear.

Yet...

When we hurt and we cry to God, what do we usually say when He doesn't fix our problem?

"Where was God when I needed Him"? "Why doesn't God answer me"? "Has He abandoned me"?

So you see, we want something from God that we reject from others.

God is not a genie in a bottle who comes to grant our wishes.

God declares that He is with us even when we don't 'feel' Him.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me".

Faith or unbelief

If you are in Christ, a believer, born again by the Holy Spirit, a new creation in Christ, passed from darkness to light, then you are permanently adopted into the family of God.

God will NEVER abandon you. God will NEVER reject you.

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body".

The world and the people in the world, even Christians, will abandon you--God will NEVER abandon you.

Jesus, speaking of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, said this to His disciples, "These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. 
Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. 
You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 
And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when it does take place you may believe. 
I will no longer talk much with you, for the ruler of this world is coming".

And this:

"All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 
For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me.
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Who are you? Who am I?

If you are a child of God indeed, then you must have faith, not feelings, that you are secure. Feelings come and go. Feelings are sometimes true and sometimes false.
Just like me as a child, we suffer from unbelief. Remember.

"Do this in remembrance of me", Jesus said.



Song "Who am I"?
Stars


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