Alone?

I was chatting with a lady while standing in the check-out line recently and during our conversation I learned she had no siblings, no children, no husband, and apparently didn’t even know her cousins. My first thought was how lonely she must be! But she didn’t appear lonely or even unhappy about any of that. She soon checked out and was gone, but I continued to think about our conversation.  A woman who had no family and yet seemed to be fine with her situation. She must have a good circle of friends and I wondered if she was part of a church. Check-out conversations are short, so I didn’t learn the answer to that question.

That experience reminded me of how cut off from people I felt last year when we were not allowed to meet at church as well as many other places. Humans are created to be with others and having our activities with others cancelled was harmful. People suffered by not seeing and being with family members and friends. Children missed out on much of their education and friendships. Video chat and Zoom cannot replace real-live togetherness. I’m thankful most of our daily activities are being restored  and we can be together again.

As I reflect on those months, a year, of shutdown I have to say I had more time for Bible study and prayer. Nothing can separate us from God’s love and His presence. Perhaps, God was preparing us for what is ahead. When I see so many of our freedoms being threatened, I wonder. Will we have to hide our Bibles and worship in secret one day? And, if that happens, will I be faithful to Jesus? It’s a question each of us must answer. We may one day feel we are standing alone in our faith, afraid and ready to give up. Elijah felt like that after God’s victory on Mount Carmel against the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18-19).  Elijah complained to God, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too” (1 Kings 19:14).

Of course, He was not the only one left. God assured Elijah, “Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him” (1Kings 19:18). I don’t know if, or how soon, our freedom to live out our Christian lives may be taken away, but we should decide ahead of time how we will respond. God won’t leave us and He will provide the wisdom and strength to be faithful, no matter what!

“He (Christ) will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful” (1 Corinthians 1:8-9).