“The hour is coming, and is now come, when you shall be scattered. Every man to his own and shall leave me alone, and yet I am not alone because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken to you, that in me you might have peace.” (John 16)
Isolation is a hard thing to bear. I’ve born it for a while, and even as an introvert, it is challenging. The worst kind of isolation is isolation as a Christian. Yet, I am thankful for the words of Jesus.
Though I feel alone, I know that I am not alone because the Son and the Father and the Holy Ghost are with me. I have tried to fellowship with believers, and I am always open to it and I know that one day the Lord will judge it all and He will gather those who really love Him to Himself and we who have felt alone will not be alone any longer. Even now, we are not alone.
I would love to be gathered to people who want to make their life about glorifying God and serving Him. And in serving Him we serve one another. It seems to me that most people are more interested in serving something else, and as they serve these things they console themselves by going to church and doing whatever their denomination deems is best. There is utility in all of this, for certain. Yet, there is always room for the world because the churches are of this world—at least in part—and of this I am convinced because I have seen what they breed.
It is a strange thing. All around right now are church revivals, but who is revived? The church bank accounts, no doubt. We do need revival, but it will not come at the hands of structural “principalities and powers” Christianity. It will come when God removes our love of the world from us. And He will do it. He is good like that. He is also patient, so I must also be patient.
I must be patient and know that He will gather us together, and I pray that even now, I can find at least a few who want to live like Christians ought to live: in service to God and one another, for His glory and not our own or this world’s glory. To build His Kingdom and not the kingdoms of this world.
All around me, people are just too busy to care much for this Kingdom, and no wonder because there are plenty of pastors who tell them what they want to hear. All around me, people have their events to go to and their own lives to build. They have their educations to pursue. They have their homes to buy. They have their ceremonies of man to go to, but who is preparing for the Supper of the Great God?
Though patience is required and good because God is patient, I can’t help but feel like “I will hide my face from them. I will see what their end shall be for they are a generation of fraud children not to be trusted in.” Those are God’s words though, and I have no right. So, I will not hide my face from them, though all seem to hide from me.
I have nothing of value to offer that can compare with what this world has for them. I have no riches in this world. I have no social status to bolster the proud. I have no interest in man’s entertainments. I have no interest in silly pampering of vain women. I have no interest in going to church to hear exulted men corrupt the word of God. I am boring, I guess. I suppose Jesus is boring too. Not to me.
This does not make me better than anyone. I will not say, “do not come near me, for I am holier than thou.” As people do to me.
I know where my grace comes from. So, the invitation is open. If you want to seek Jesus with me—if you have time for it—then let’s do so. If you want fellowship and a gathering of people who put Jesus first of a truth, then let’s get together and figure out what that means. If not, then not. “I am not alone, because the Father is with me” and you also–you who love Him and take Christianity seriously, or sincerely want to learn how.
Are you prepared for what that might mean? I wasn’t. I’m still in awe as He shows me what this means. Thanks and glory to God for His mercy and grace–grace that give us all things according to His perfect will for us all.
Jesus Alone 