In a chaotic world with crazy schedules, sometimes you won’t even realize that you’ve lost fellowship with the Savior. If you drift away from the Lord, don’t lose heart – you can find him again by just delving into scripture.
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada, happy to share more hope with you today.
You know, sometimes we can get lost in the flowery imagery of the Song of Songs; that’s the book of poetry written by Solomon. Yes, it does read like a book of love poems, but there is more to it than that. And every follower of Jesus can identify with the first verse in the third chapter. It says, “All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him.” Oh, those words. I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him. I have experienced that heartbreaking moment at night in bed when I realize I have lost the company of Christ. You can feel it in our chaotic world with our crazy schedules; sometimes you don’t even realize that you’ve lost fellowship with the Savior. But sadly, it happens. And nothing feels more desolate or frightening to a Christian.
It happened to me [like I said] the other night shortly after I went to bed. I tried to pray, but it felt like slugging through thick paste. Plus, my mind kept wandering. I tried to feel my heart, but it was anything but soft and tender; it felt hardened by the day’s heavy schedule. Then, lying there, I realized, “Oh no, I have lost company with Christ. I can’t sense his warmth and nearness. How did I get like this? Everything was okay yesterday, but now? Where is the joy and peace that I know so well when I’m with him?”
So, right away, I asked the Holy Spirit to help me. “Oh, Spirit, here I am coming to you once again, needing desperately to gain back fellowship with Jesus. Where did I lose his nearness? I so want to feel his pleasure. Please help stir my heart and place me where I need to be to sense his closeness and delight once again.” And right away, the Spirit reminded me where I had lost company with Jesus. I had only skimmed the Bible over the day before. I read out of obligation, out of duty; I read to keep on schedule with my husband [who’s also on the same Bible reading plan as I am]. And you know what? As soon as I realized that? I felt relief. Like I had taken a step in the right direction by simply confessing my wrong doing. I knew the Spirit would help me get back on the right track the next morning and that small confession helped warm my heart. And as I went to sleep, I drifted off with a sense of God’s pleasure.
So, let’s look at that verse in Song of Songs again: “All night long on my bed I looked for the one my heart loves; I looked for him but did not find him.” Oh friend if you feel like that, take heart—Christ can and will be found. And you will find him wherever it was you lost fellowship with him. Was it in sinning? Then you will find him by giving up that sin. Was it in neglecting the Word? Then [like me] you’ll find him when you delve back into the scriptures. It can be hard work to go back and look for Christ. But if you seek him, he will be found.
Friend, if you are sensing that you’ve lost the company of Christ – the nearness and sweetness of him. Somewhere during along the line, maybe very recently, then pray with me and join me in your heart saying, “Lord, I know it’s so easy to drift away from that sweet, soul-nourishing fellowship with you. I think of what Paul said about his once-loyal friend who had deserted him because his friend loved the things of this life. I don’t want to be like that. We don’t want to be like that Jesus. So, help us, Savior and Friend, to keep your love in view through every waking hour. Amen.”
© Joni and Friends