Never Alone

It is now 3:45 AM and I've been up for the last forty-five minutes in really terrible pain. It is nothing new for me to be up at this hour and just about ready to leap from the roof...in fact it is almost a nightly occurrence. And this morning, I am missing my online friend, David, who lately passed away....You see, in the "good old day:" before he got sick, he used to make sure that he was up at this hour, expecting me to need an ear. That's just the kind of guy he was. I don't know why but I have this thing where if I can just complain a bit; just let someone know how much I am hurting, then I am somewhat comforted. And so every morning he was there...like a giant sponge, soaking up my pain and comforting me, often just by listening. And then, I would get to a point where I would say, "OK, that was my whining allowance for the day; I will stop now." and we would talk about other things and he would distract me by making me laugh.

This morning, as I woke with the familiar agony of swollen, hurting hands and a spine that hurts in its particular, agonizing way; I was almost as much in pain from missing David as I was physically. I sleep with my Zune (mp3) player on every night...It is nice to rise to the surface of consciousness the numerous times a night that I do, and have music playing. This morning, as I struggled with the pain, I became aware gradually of the music I was hearing. First played Barlow Girl with "Never Alone"...yeah...the title says it all. Then came Point of Grace with another self explanatorily entitled song: "No More Pain" and the came Lincoln Brewster with a song called "Psalm 91" which has the words of that Psalm as the lyrics. I've often said that in times of my need, "God is my DJ"...meaning that He has so often brought me comfort through music and the words to the songs.

Right before I began to write this post, I got an email from a good friend who is a missionary, indicating that they are facing some serious medical problems right now. My heart aches to hear this and I will send them the link to this post to let them know that they are indeed, Never Alone, even in a far off country away from friends and family as they face something that may well be catastrophic for all I know.

None of us who suffer are EVER alone. There is One who has suffered and knows more than any of us what that word means, who is HERE, always here. And soon the day will come when pain will be eradicated...not only from our own lives,...but from the entire world as the power of pain and death was crushed with Christ's death and resurrection and soon He will come to claim that victory for those who love Him.

Here is that video of the acoustic version by Barlow Girl... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AdAMAbb3oUA I love this song, it has ministered to me so often...even with its rock beat and sound, the words have struck close to home so many times. "And though, I cannot see You, I will trust in the unseen...I am never alone."