Loneliness was the theme of one of the featured speakers at the Coopers Beach 2019 Easter Camp.

And what a pleasant surprise it was for me, because some time before attending the camp I bought a second-hand Good News Bible (Today’s English Version) for one dollar in Kerikeri.

It is a “Special Prison Artwork Edition,” and those who are familiar with that Bible will know that there are eight themes listed at the beginning of that edition, starting with “When you are lonely.” The second theme is “When you are afraid.”

“WHEN YOU ARE LONELY”

Underneath three verses from the Bible are listed, namely Psalm 139, Romans 8:31-39 and Isaiah 54:10.

A. Psalm 139:

Here we read in verse 1, “O LORD, your have searched me and you know me.” (David says that.)

B. Romans 8:31-39:

Here it says in verse 39, “neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all the creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (This is written “To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints:”)

C. Isaiah 54:10:

Here we read, “… my unfailing love for me will never be shaken …” (This speaks about “The Future Glory of Zion.” )

LONELINESS seems to be in the news at the present time. But in one of the books in my library I read that there was lots of talk about loneliness in Germany already more than 50 years ago. And the pastor who is writing about it says that if we would love as the Bible tells us to love, we would be cured from our loneliness. Please read Matthew 22:35-39.

Here we are commanded to love God and our neighbor.

I believe that the further we get away from the commands in the Bible, the lonelier our planet becomes.