Where Did They Go?

Help, LORD; for the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men. Psalm 12:1.

Sometimes it may seem that all of our friends, and maybe even family, are no longer following the Lord. Maybe you have felt lonely in your walk with the Lord. Not the absence of the Lord, but the absence of other people that used to seem so faithful. We are certainly in a time of failing faithfulness. We can very easily become discouraged and feel like maybe we should just quit too.

My intention this month is not to discourage you, but to encourage you to continue regardless of what any other might do. Following Jesus will certainly mean that sometimes we will walk alone as far as human companionship is concerned. What we must remember, is that Jesus never leaves us nor forsakes us. Heb 13:5.

A quick study of the Old Testament saints will reveal that many of them became discouraged and thought they were alone following God. In 1 Kings 19, Elijah thought he was the only one who still followed God. When he was very low, God spoke to him in a small still voice to let him know that there were many others.

When you get discouraged, look to the Lord and to His Word, which will encourage you. The apostle Paul said, “At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me;..” 2 Tim. 4:16,17.

The Lord will strengthen us to go on with Him even if it means going alone. I think that if Paul had been the only believer left in his time, he would have still pressed toward the mark for the prize. Phil. 3:14.

As we get closer to the coming of the Lord, we can be certain that many will fall away. It is certain that some of your friends, family and others you know will be drawn into the world. It is difficult to be the only one in your neighborhood, school, workplace to go to church on Wednesday or Thursday night. It will be tempting to just do what others are doing, and give the Lord an ever shrinking part of your life.

I beseech (beg) you to continue following the Lord. Go to Him in prayer. Find a friend somewhere who is following the Lord. Get into church at every opportunity. This race we are running is not just a casual passing fad. There is a great reward for those that remain faithful. God is more interested in faithfulness than any kind of external show of spirituality. The rewards of this world are temporary, but God’s reward is eternal.

It is my constant prayer that Christian young people would be faithful to the Lord in their lives. That they would be encouraged to run the race with patience. And that they would in turn pray for their friends and family to be faithful.

Gordon Crook