By David Bragg
Loneliness, especially among the elderly, can lead to becoming victims of online scammers. Recently, an 80-year-old woman in Japan was targeted by an online "astronaut." He claimed to be a Russian cosmonaut under attack while orbiting Earth. In this intense battle he was running out of oxygen and needed to purchase more. She ultimately transferred nearly $7,000 (U.S.) into an online account in his desperate measure to save his life (http://www.msn.com); 9-18-25).
According to the article, victims in cases like this often feel marginalized by society. They feel alone, forgotten, unseen, and unheard. Perhaps Hannah wrestled with similar anxiety as years and years passed with her prayers for a child seemingly unheard by God (1 Samuel 1:19-20).
Pouring out her heart before Eli the priest, Hannah finally received a favorable answer to years of praying. Tellingly, she named her firstborn son Samuel, meaning “Heard by God,” saying, “Because I have asked for him from the Lord.”
Her story reminds us of the desperation of the world to be heard and recognized, and the blessing we enjoy as Christians with God we are heard. He listens to our prayers, and through Jesus (1 John 5:14) and the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:26), we are assured that He hears us
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- David Bragg is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/ If you are in the Greensboro, NC area, please join us for worship: https://nwchurchofchrist.com/about/ |
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