During
seminary, I worked in a nursing home. As I spent time talking to these men and
women, at some point nearly every patient would describe the loneliness of
their present lives and the realization that they were outliving their peers.
Most wondered if anyone would remember them when they passed from this life.
It isn’t
just the elderly who can feel lonely and forgotten. In fact, many of us feel
trapped and alone, set aside by circumstances fair and unfair. Sometimes we
even experience what the Old Testament character Joseph did: people failing to
remember us when there’s every reason they should.
Genesis
40 describes Joseph’s experiences as he’s trapped in prison. The cupbearer had
been freed and returned to the king’s service, just as Joseph told him would
happen (vv.9-13). Joseph had asked to be mentioned to Pharaoh, but the
cupbearer forgot him (vv.14,23).
We may feel forgotten. Yet, like Joseph, we are not (42:9-13). Jesus sits at the right hand of God, and our prayers reach the throne of the King without fail because our Savior is our Mediator. When we feel alone, let’s remember to rest in the confidence of Jesus’ promise to be with us forever (Matt. 28:20).
