Pleasant Stone Devotional Meditation: August 3

“When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up” ~ Psalm 27:10

There is no feeling of forsakenness to compare with having been forsaken by one’s father and mother. I [Eugenia Price, the author] do not know this from my own experience, but over and over again I have seen the wounds and scars of this singular loneliness on the hearts of those who have never known or have lost the security of mother and father love. A child has every right to cry out for this love. Every right to rebel when the safety of that love has been taken away or has never been there at all.

My heart still twists at the memory of one little girl, who clung to me sobbing her five year old rebellion at her Mommie and Daddy’s impending divorce. “Why can’t we go back where we used to live and be together again the way we used to be? Why can’t we? Why can’t we?” I had no answer. I could only hold her in my arms and let my heart break against hers.

A child loves both its mother and father. When they separate, the child is forsaken. And only the touch of the heart of Christ on that wretched little heart, can restore it to wholeness. Our hearts remain wretched to “hoar hairs” without the touch of the love of Christ upon them. If your heart rebels at having been forsaken by your mother and father, you don’t really need God’s warning that “the rebellious dwell in a dry land.” You know it. You’re in that dry land. But you can come out. “God setteth the solitary in families.” He has a word just for you. Hear it now.

“Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; … I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by name; thou art mine.”