The elderly woman lived alone.
In that she was not different than hundreds of thousands of other little, old women and men, who live alone. Crippled, she had to rely, pretty much, on the assistance and aid of her neighbors. That, too, does not make her all that unique. What was special about this old woman is that she, even with her limited life, kept a daily diary.
Any person taking a look at her uneventful days would have wondered why bother. She didn’t have that much to write down. You and I might have thrown in the towel, but this lady didn’t. She faithfully kept her diary until the day came when she set her pencil down for the final time.
The police report said that she had been dead “for a while,” before someone had missed and gone looking for her. They said there was no evidence of foul play and that she had died of natural causes. They said her diary’s notations held nothing of interest for police or coroner.
No, the investigators found nothing of interest in her book but that doesn’t mean you won’t be curious to see what she wrote. Through the last weeks of her life, the lady had repeatedly written the same, three words: “Nobody came today.” When I heard that sad, sad story, I said to myself, “I hope if I had known this lady, I would have come to visit her.”
I hope that’s what I would have done.
Yes, that truly is a sad, sad story. Would you like to hear one even sadder? Perhaps not, but here goes anyway.
I wonder if there aren’t times when the Lord says, “Not many people came today.” Although I am only a human being and cannot look into anyone’s heart, I was also a pastor in a number of churches. On my rolls there were the names of people for whom Jesus had lived, died and risen. So they might be saved, so they might be washed of their sins, so they might have eternal life, Jesus came into this world.
Sadly, there were many of my church members who never came to church to thank Him. They didn’t support missionary work with their offerings; they didn’t contribute their talents to the education of the children or the singing of His praises in the choir. They didn’t serve as officers, and they apparently never felt the need for Communion. They didn’t worship on the seventh Sunday after Pentecost, and they didn’t show up for Christmas or Easter or any other church service.
I wonder if the Lord ever said, “He never came to see Me today.”
Now I assume this devotion is not talking about you. But it may be talking to someone you know. Won’t you share these words with them? They need to know, the family of faith misses them, and so does their Savior.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, You have done everything for me and my salvation. May I always respond with a thankful heart. But I also pray for those whom You and I love who no longer come to see You. May they have a change of heart; may they know You want to see them come and visit again. In the Name of the Savior I ask these things. Amen.