Home for the Lonely

“God makes a home for the lonely.” Psalm 68:6a NASB

“Nearly one in four people worldwide — which translates into more than a billion people — feel very or fairly lonely, according to a recent Meta-Gallup survey of more than 140 countries. Although many calls to reduce loneliness are focused on older adults, majorities of those aged 45 and older do not feel lonely at all, while less than half of those younger than 45 say the same.” (1)

Loneliness affects people of all ages, but as seen above surprisingly the younger generation experience loneliness at a higher percentage than older adults. I will try to stay off my soapbox here, but it is amazing to me with all the technology and social media to facilitate communication that younger people would be lonelier. Perhaps, that is part of the problem. A recent google search reveals, “63% of people on social media report being lonely, 40% of people on social media report feeling anxious or depressed after using it, 61% of younger people in the U.S. say they are chronically lonely.” The bottom line is that people were created to be relational.

We are created in the image of a relational God. We were created to be relational with our fellow human beings, in person and part of society and not living in isolation. Sin has left a void, a large gap of loneliness, between us and our creator. That void needs to be filled first and foremost. A major cause of loneliness in the world today is the feeling of not belonging to anyone. You have no home that satisfies you to call your own. Well, God is calling you home. “(He) makes a home for the lonely.” (Ps.68:6a nasb)

The Lord God has made it possible through Jesus Christ His Son for you to have a sense of belonging and for your home to be in the kingdom of heaven. By accepting Christ as your savior, confessing your sin, and trusting Him for salvation the void is filled, and you are at home. You now have family members who long to see you to encourage you and for you to encourage them. Living life together with other Christians of like faith in a local church prevents you from slipping again into loneliness, it is a home for the lonely, both for the young and the old.

(1) https://news.gallup.com/opinion/gallup/512618/almost-quarter-world-feels-lonely.aspx