At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.

Have you ever experienced this aloneness in a stressful situation? Maybe you are the only one who stands for honesty and integrity in the workplace while others mock you – God stands by you. Have you been in a gathering of Christian women and suddenly, the talk turns off color? You get up and leave – God stands by you. Persecuted for your faith? Misunderstood for an act of kindness? Blamed for something someone else did with no recourse to state your innocence? God stands by you. In other words, we are never alone. Our Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel stands by us and gives us strength.