DAILY TEXT, Today Saturday, March 23, 2024, The eyes of Jehovah are on those who fear him (Ps. 33:18).

Let us examine the scriptures every day 2024

Saturday March 23, 2024

Jehovah's eyes are on those who fear him (Ps. 33:18).

The night before he died, Jesus asked his heavenly Father for something very special: to protect his followers (John 17:15, 20). Jehovah has always protected and cared for his servants. But Jesus knew that Satan would attack his disciples more cruelly than ever and that that is why they would need Jehovah's help. Satan's world puts a lot of pressure on true Christians. Problems could rob us of our strength and even test our loyalty. But there is no reason to be afraid. Jehovah is watching over us, that is, he sees everything we are going through and he is always ready to help us. That's right, “the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him […] to save them” (Ps. 33:18-20). w22.08 8 paras. 1, 2.

WHEN WE FEEL ALONE

In what situations might we feel alone?

Although we are part of a large spiritual family, we may sometimes feel alone. For example, young people may feel alone when they have to explain their beliefs in front of all their classmates or when they change congregations. Maybe some of us are feeling sad or struggling with negative feelings, and we think we have no choice but to deal with this situation alone. We may not dare to vent to others for fear that they will not understand us. And at some point we might come to think that no one cares about us. In any case, loneliness can make us feel helpless and distressed. But Jehovah does not want us to feel that way. Why do we say it?

Why did the prophet Elijah say “I am the only one left”?

Let's look at the example of the prophet Elijah. This faithful man was fleeing for his life for more than 40 days because Jezebel had sworn to kill him (1 Kings 19:1-9). He ended up alone in a cave, where he told Jehovah: “I am the only one left” (1 Kings 19:10). He thought that he was the only prophet left in the country, but he was not like that. Obadiah had managed to deliver 100 prophets from the murderous hands of Jezebel (1 Kings 18:7, 13). So why did Elijah feel so alone? He perhaps thought that they had killed all the prophets that Obadiah had saved. Or he may have felt alone because no one took Jehovah's side after what happened to the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. Another possibility is that he thought that no one knew how dangerous his situation was or that no one cared about him. The Bible does not give us all the details, but what we do know is that Jehovah understood why Elijah felt alone and knew exactly how to help him.

What did Jehovah do to assure Elijah that he was not alone?

Jehovah did several things to help Elijah. For example, he encouraged him to express himself. Twice he asked him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (1 Kings 19:9, 13). And both times Jehovah listened carefully to everything that Elijah told him. Then he responded by showing her that he was there and that he is a very powerful God. He also assured her that there were still many people in Israel who supported pure worship (1 Kings 19:11, 12, 18). Elijah must have felt very relieved after venting to Jehovah and hearing his response. In addition, Jehovah gave him several important missions: he was to anoint Hazael as king of Syria, Jehu as king of Israel, and Elisha as a prophet (1 Kings 19:15, 16). By giving him these missions, Jehovah helped him focus on positive things and also gave him a good companion, Elisha. What can we do if we feel alone and need Jehovah's help?

What can we say to Jehovah when we feel alone? (Psalm 62:8).

Jehovah encourages us to express ourselves through prayer. He sees how we feel and assures us that we can pray to him at any time and that he will hear us (1 Thes. 5:17). For him, listening to his servants is a pleasure (Prov. 15:8). What can we say to Jehovah when we feel alone? We can vent to him, as Elijah did (read Psalm 62:8). Let's tell him what worries us and how we feel. Let us ask Him to help us see what we have to do. For example, if you are young, what could you do if you feel lonely and afraid to talk about Jehovah at school? You could ask Him to give you courage and wisdom to explain your beliefs respectfully (Luke 21:14, 15). And what could you do if you are struggling with negative feelings? Ask Jehovah to help you talk to a mature Christian and help that person understand how you feel. We can keep feelings of loneliness at bay by venting to Jehovah, paying attention to how he answers our prayers, and accepting help from others.

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