Alone

Good Morning,


Matthew 14:23  “...he was there alone.”

Jesus had sent away the crowds, and now He was alone.  

Jesus was often alone — this was not uncommon.  He was alone on Calvary.  He was alone in the mountains in prayer.   Jesus was alone when He was arrested; all His loyal friends fled for their lives.  He was alone when His own Father turned His back on Him — God’s Only Begotten Son.  The cry went out, “My God, My God Why hast Thou forsaken me?”

Do not be surprised if friends abandon you, especially if being near you causes a risk to their lives or possessions.   Paul was alone as he stood in court.  Moses was alone when he pled for the lives of the backslidden people.  Elijah was alone when he stood against the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.  

A single parent can be very alone when facing the pressures of each day.  Many a faithful believer walks away from the cemetery and back into the reality of life being terribly alone.   

Pastors will find themselves alone when staff and formerly-loyal workers walk out — it is a fact; sad and discouraging, but real.  Good people may get scared or depressed and simply walk out on you.  Some will leave you alone because they cannot stand conflict.  They choose to remove themselves from the situation (nothing personal) because they just cannot withstand the pressure or discomfort.   When you need someone, anyone near you, they will be gone.  We may slander them and use the old term “fair-weather friends,” but there are many good people who just do not know what to do when the battle begins.  

Alone is a terrible word — it eats away at our inner strength; the strength we all need and reach for in times of trouble — but it is a very real visitor in our lives.  Alone describes the businessman when circumstances go wrong or the law enforcement officer who is falsely accused; loneliness visits some of God’s choicest servants.  

Paul mentioned several situations to Timothy.  Perhaps, he knew that Timothy was also facing or about to face abandonment.

2 Timothy 1:15 “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me; of whom are Phygellus and Hermogenes.”

2 Timothy 4:10  “For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.”

vs. “16 At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge.”

Our Lord faced the worst case of being alone.

Mark 14:50 “And they all forsook him, and fled.”

I make no attempt to explain the situation; I simply admit that it is real.  When medical tests begin to reveal a handicapped child, a terrible loneliness may flood the soul.  When someone sits with a needle in his arm and feels the poison of chemotherapy flooding his body, though surrounded by others, he can feel very alone.   

When financial or medical trouble comes and a spouse walks out, loneliness walks in to fill their place.  In early married life, a good young man began to have seizures (from one or two at first to dozens a day).  His job was lost and his children were still young.   Keeping the rent paid became impossible, and one day, his wife left him.  Being alone is ugly but a reality.  How we need His Divine presence and comfort in those hours, days, and even years.  

Only one thing can be said for sure:  you may be alone in your moment, but the finest of God’s servants have visited the same era in life in which you have found yourself living.  You may be alone, but you are in very good company.

Pastor