July 11th - Cheer Up The Lonely Day

Admittedly, I've never heard of this day. But, sounds very much like a Jesus-like thing to do.

When Jesus was on this earth, he was most likely found among the lonely. These were the diseased and crippled who others shunned. He healed the blind and told the lame to get up and walk. He even touched the most lonely of all - the leper.

"But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. Sing to God, sing praise to his name, extol him who rides on the clouds - his name is the Lord - and rejoice before him."
Psalm 68:3-4

How can the Psalmist ask that we rejoice when we are diseased, crippled, left-out, and lonely?

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lonely in families, ..." Psalm 68:5-6a

This is why we can rejoice and praise God. He is near to the lonely. He even sets them in families. Guess who that family is? Me and you. Other Christians having been made brothers and sisters in Christ.

We have the promise that we are never alone for we have God ever-present and near to us. But, in our striving to become more and more like Christ, we must cheer the lonely. We are to show love and care for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Christ was sensitive to those who needed a touch. Let's follow His example and be sensitive to those around us who might need cheering through Christ's love flowing through us.