Christian Living

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As a people we generally lament loneliness, which by our definition is being apart from others like ourselves. But in this context Jesus was alone a great deal of His life, and most certainly in His death, surrounded by people to be sure--but not like Himself. He was often on mountain tops praying and communing with His Father, or alone in the Garden or asleep in the bow of a little boat being tossed by stormy waves. Crowds thronged Him, and He loved them, taught them, walked with them and healed them, but He was not one of them. He was the singular Son of God sent to give His life a ransom for many. And so except for the Father and the Holy Spirit and a few faithful disciples (and even they deserted Him at the cross), He mostly walked alone. Even when it came time to share His last Passover meal with His disciples, He had to supernaturally arrange a place for it. Remember the "upper room" that was miraculously prepared for that occasion?

There are also poignant examples of aloneness among those who followed our Lord. There was Stephen who died a lonely death preaching his heart out fot the love of Jesus. Paul died in a cold lonely Roman prison. John was exiled to the Isle of Patmos, and the list of those who died lonely deaths for the cause of Christ down through the ages is surely recorded in the annals of heaven.

It might be profitable for us to remember as we make our earthly sojourn that loneliness for people, places or things is short-lived even if it is temporarily satisfied. And when our hearts cry out that we are lonely, maybe it is that there is a deep hunger in our souls for the Presence of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. And if that be the case, there is no substitute. Nothing ese will do. But when we walk with the Lord, in the Light of His Presence, we will never walk alone.

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