Never Alone!

Sometimes one feels all alone!   There might be hundreds of people around, if not more, but you still feel alone! That’s how I felt as I made my way to Victoria this week to catch up with pastors, church leaders, and then move on to Adelaide for several speaking engagements on the weekend.

Perhaps it was leaving my wife and home, knowing that many days will pass before I return.   I do sense the distance from family now that we live in Australia, especially from children and grandchildren. But we just had been with them on our annual leave, so I knew this was not the source of my feeling alone.   On my early morning flight I spent time doing my daily devotions of reading Scripture and prayer. I was reminded of God’s faithfulness, but yet I felt alone.

I know I am not alone in my feeling all alone.   Earlier in the week I had received a message from someone I had pastored years ago, and she wrote: “I’m lost … I am lost in my faith and it really scares me.   Sometimes I think that God has forgotten me….”   She felt alone, even abandoned by God.   That is a very lonely place to be!   And a scary place to be!  

Gospel ministry can be a lonely place as well.   I came to realise that anew at a conference I attended on “Member Care”.   I listened to those on the coal face of Christian mission work share how difficult it is for them, especially those who were in overseas work.   But is it much different here in Australia or in any Western Country?   We work in territory hostile to the gospel.   It is hard work.   Like many in overseas missions, years, if not decades, may pass before we see any significant gospel fruit.   And I knew this was source of my angst. When will God bring about revival in our land?   There are many faithful pastors and church members sowing gospel seed throughout Australia.   Others are watering.   Many are tilling the soil.   But when will God give the growth? (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)   Or has God forgotten us?   Forsaken us?

I remind myself (and you) of the prophet Elijah who once felt so alone that even despaired of life itself.   In 1 Kings 18 we find Elijah testifying of God’s power and might.   Fire descended on Mount Carmel and the futility of idolatry was exposed.   It is one of the great stories of the Bible.   But the very next chapter we find Elijah afraid and running for his life.   He ran far into the desert, all alone.   We read:   “He came to a broom tree, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. ‘I have had enough, LORD,’ he said. ‘Take my life….’” (1 Kings 19:4)   He readily admits: "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 19:10) He felt so alone.   And scared.

How does God respond?   He reminds Elijah that he is not alone.   God reveals to Elijah his plan to bring about change in Israel.   But more importantly, he tells Elijah that he is not alone. In fact, God has prepared Elisha to join Elijah in this gospel work and one day Elisha will take over to advance this work.   And while Israel might have rejected God’s covenant, there were “seven thousand in Israel--all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."  (1 Kings 19:18)   In no way was Elijah alone!

When I landed in Melbourne, as I went through the airport security, the first security guard asked me about the lapel pin on my jacket.   This pin shows a cross with people joining hands around the cross.   I told him that as a Christian I am involved in helping churches spread the gospel.   He told me that he too was a Christ follower and encouraged me on my way.   The final security guard wanted to go through my bags. As he took test swabs and waited for the results, again we got talking about Christ and the church.   He shared how he is a devoted Christian and cannot understand why people are negative about the church.   We chatted for quite a while and he gave the Lord’s blessing as we parted ways.   And God reminded me that while many in Australia have rejected God’s covenant He has faithful followers all over the place – even in the security lanes at Melbourne airport – Christians who were eager to talk about the faith, hope, and life found in Jesus Christ. We are not alone!   And as God reminds us over and over again in Scripture, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you!” (Hebrews 13:5)