Have you ever felt alone? Alone in your pain. And alone in your thinking. Alone in your work. Alone in your home. Just alone. I believe that we all have at some point and to some degree but although we may feel alone, we are never alone – God is with us.
Never Alone – God is With Us
“Then everyone deserted him and fled”.
I heard these words, and my heart sank. And I felt tears welling up when I heard these words, while I was headed to pick my daughter up from school.
Besides singing in the car while I’m alone, I also love listening to the Bible. So, as I was listening, I blaringly heard “then everyone deserted him and fled”.
This was the story of Jesus found in the Gospels when his enemies came for him to arrest him in the garden. Earlier in the story Jesus had left Peter, James and John to go a little further to pray.
Jesus knew what was about to take place and in his prayers he asked God, if possible to let this cup pass from him. The cup of pain, suffering, torture and death. But then Jesus also says, but nevertheless not his will but the Lord’s will be done.
Then Judas comes on the scene and betrays Jesus with a kiss. And the men took Jesus and arrested him.
“Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.” Then everyone deserted him and fled. Mark 14:48-50
Did you read that too?
“Then everyone deserted him and fled”
Everyone deserted Jesus. Including every single one of his disciples. The very ones that were closest to him. Who told him how much they loved him and how they would never leave him.
They deserted him.
I remember being on campus during the summer of my college years. Really, I spent every summer of my college years on campus, either working in the New Student Orientation office or taking classes. But I remember one particular summer, I felt so alone.
It seemed like all of my friends were home for the summer and I felt utterly alone. With no exaggeration. Of course, they didn’t desert me, it was a time that they were on break, visiting their family or whatever. But never the less, I was alone.
But I remember how much I prayed during that time. When I got back to my dorm from work. Or when I got home from classes, I would just pray. And to be honest, I began to feel as though I wasn’t alone. I begin to feel that God was with me and I began to enjoy the times alone with him.
The irony is that life now can be so busy that I think about those times and I cherish that alone time with Jesus.
And as it was with Jesus, the same is with us. Even though everyone deserted him, Jesus was not deserted by his Father in Heaven.
And THIS. This is the encouragement.
No matter who walks away. No matter who deserts you or leaves you, God will never leave you and He will never forsake you.
“Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6 NKJV
And in times where we feel alone or deserted, may we also be aware how God can use those times. Times of solitude and stillness. Times when we are alone. To speak to us and with us.
Because I know that the prayers that I prayed during that time years ago when I felt so alone, are still being fulfilled even today. And for that I’m grateful.
“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.” Psalm 46:10 KJV
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