I have two friends who ended up at the same medical specialty clinic. We each have a different medical issue, although they are similar. One of us has rheumatoid arthritis (RA), one osteoarthritis (OA) and I have polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). We were each sent by a different primary care provider to this arthritis clinic. And each one of us was abandoned in a different way.
My RA friend was abandoned by the specialist who decided he did not want to work as hard, so she was given over to a physician assistant. My OA friend was simply dismissed with the message there was nothing they could do for her. I was rejected because my symptoms were not backed up by lab results (in other words, they thought the pain and fatigue were all in my head). We were abandoned.
Many of us have faced abandonment, by parents, siblings, spouses, or friends. Some of us were abandoned by employers. Some by schools. Some even by churches. Abandonment is a common occurrence in life, and it often leaves lasting wounds and scars that run deep. We develop trust issues. We wonder if something is not inherently wrong in us that drives people away.
That is why one of the most precious green pastures promises of God is found in Psalm 9. “The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in times of trouble. Those who know Your name trust in You because You have not abandoned those who seek You, Yahweh.” [v9-10 HCSB]
God has not, will not, abandon those who come to Him. The LORD, Yahweh, remains a refuge, a place of security and trust to those oppressed by others, to those in times of trouble. Everyone else in life may walk away from us, but our LORD Almighty, our Father God, our Savior and King never will. He remains eternally faithful.
Let that promise refresh your heart today as you listen to “Great is Thy Faithfulness” with the link below.