You're listening to Encounter, a simple daily podcast of sacred and mindful Christian

meditations.

You can listen here, but if you would enjoy being able to search and favor it, forward

and journal as you listen, I encourage you to download the encountering piece Mobile

app where all the meditations are free as they should be.

A 13th century sage once taught that if one lights a fire for others, it will also brighten

their own way.

It's good to help and be known by others.

In fact, research has found that senior citizens who don't feel wanted or useful to others

are nearly three times as likely to die prematurely as those who did feel wanted and valuable.

This research speaks to a profound human truth.

We all want to be wanted.

We want to be known and we want to be useful.

But the divine truth is you aren't alone and you are wanted.

But do you ever feel alone and brokenhearted?

Well the theme of this meditation from Psalm 34 is about being known.

God is not missing.

God is quite near to you and saves you when your spirit is crushed and broken.

But surely you have experienced times of isolation and feeling dejected as if God had turned

his back on you.

So if you're feeling that you're in the right place, the Lord is here and his spirit

is with us.

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