“No, I will not abandon you as orphans—I will come to you.” – Jesus (John 14:18 NLT)

In the summer of 2019 our family purchased 11 baby guinea fowl chicks with the purpose of them reducing the ticks and other insects on our property. Guineas are unfriendly, ugly, and very, very loud. (Imagine a bird call that is a mix of goose, peacock, and turkey and you get an estimation of this noisy and obnoxious sound. And it’s loud. Did I mention that it’s loud??) While I have a great deal of respect for God’s amazing creativity, the guinea is not my favorite of his creations.

Over the past few years, our flock of guineas has slowly diminished due to predators, injuries, or reasons we don’t know. As of this summer we were down to two. These two had (thankfully) moved in with our egg chickens and were cohabitating there for shelter, food, and water. They were mostly quiet, unless one couldn’t see the other, necessitating a loud series of calls. Unfortunately, we found one of the remaining birds dead early this week. Each day since then the other has spent several hours calling and searching for her missing companion. I have no idea if these birds have some sense of mourning the lost, but I do hope this poor and lonely bird can find some peace by herself.

Being alone in the world can be awful, whether you are a bird or a person. Thankfully, God is quite able and willing to fill people’s loneliness. Psalm 34:17-18 (NLT) says, “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.” And Psalm 68:5-6 (NLT) says, “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy.” Today, let us pray for the lonely.

Omnipresent God,

Thank you that you are always with us, never leaving us, forsaking us, or abandoning us to loneliness. Thank you that when we turn to you, alone and in deep distress, you hear us and have mercy on us. Thank you for rescuing us from our troubles. Today we pray you will be close to the brokenhearted, those whose spirits are crushed, the prisoners, and the lonely. Place them in loving, supporting, encouraging families – whether natural or spiritual – and provide them all they need, according to your riches in glory. Holy God, be their Father, their Defender, and give them great Joy. Come to the lonely, we ask in Jesus’s name. AMEN.

“Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.” (Psalm 25:15 NLT)

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV)