January 31 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

Psalm 25:16–22

Devotional

Deep within our souls everyone is alone. Do you realize this? Man is lonely both in life and in death. Do you understand that your loneliness is because you are estranged from God? You can cover up loneliness by sharing your life with others, but in death all help from other people will fall away. Upon your death there will be sorrow and loneliness for your loved ones whom you leave behind.

Life can be so very lonely. An inward search of your soul reveals aloneness. Prior to Adam’s fall, man was not alone. He experienced communion with God in the cool of the day. Adam’s sin resulted in loneliness and guilt. With Adam we can testify that we also are lonely, separated from God because of our own doing. Then you say with David, “Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me.”

Such supplicants do not cry in vain. They may have comfort, not because they deserve to be heard, but because Christ suffered for their loneliness. As the Surety, Jesus endured loneliness. He was forsaken of men, even of His own disciples, and forsaken of His Father.

Those who are truly lonely experience the desolation of hell. In hell every form of communion with others is absent. Above all, there is absolute Godforsakenness. In hell there is no drop from the cup of God’s common grace. For us to be without Christ in life leads to eternal loneliness in death.

Loneliness on this side of the grave is simply the front porch of hell. It is most necessary to personally know Him who underwent the agonies of hell in His soul. You are lonely unless you can say that Christ, the lonely One, is your Surety. You can feel lonely and forsaken of God and people. But ultimately you are not alone for one moment because the Lord holds on to His people through the Surety.

The Son of God’s separation from His Father constitutes the loneliness of man. But when communion with God is experienced it is as if one is in the porches of heaven. When you know these matters experientially, the gates of hell will not overwhelm you. For then, He who suffered absolute loneliness within the gates of hell, also entered through the gates of heaven to prepare a place for you in full and undisturbed eternal communion with God. There no one will ever have to complain again about his loneliness.

 

From The Everlasting Word by Frans Bakker, compiled and translated by Gerald R. Procee. Reformation Heritage Books and Free Reformed Publications, 2007. Used by permission. For further information, click here.