And we are scattered..
The hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man to his home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. John 16:32
Scattered and alone. This is the beginning of Passion Week where everything went wrong as far as we humans, are concerned. The groups of 4000-5000 were no longer present. The jubilant cries of people lining the pathway with palm branches and cloaks is done...everyone to his own home.... and we are alone.
This reflection all started with the sorrow and ache in my soul of our churches, not being as full and robust with people as in the past. The ache for souls missing out on the truth of a life abundant in Christ. The tears of sorrow for those who are losing out on the richness of faith in Christ. The realization that COVID has left may congregants in the habit of staying home instead of gathering to encourage one another. The young adults so foreign to the basic concepts of faith and God that they find church “irrelevant” to their lives. The busyness of families with children in numerous activities and the pull of work demanding so much time that fatigue sets in so they stay home. The “performance” of church is not up to what it use to be so I go seek for enjoyment of music and prayer elsewhere. The insinuations of mainstream media or social media constantly belittling those of faith..
None of these things are “sinful” in and of themselves, but the consequence, be it intended or unintended, is a dulling of our spiritual senses..... and we become scattered.... and with the scattering, we become lonely. When we are alone, we can start to doubt, question if it is worth continuing in our walk with God, no longer seeing any benefit or blessing in following God, no longer sensing His abiding presence. And we are alone.
If we look at this state of loneliness, it can result in a weakening of our faith or a strengthening of our faith but, either way, it is unpleasant. In this state, God starts to test the true depth of our faith. Or as Oswald Chambers calls it, the “permanence of our faith”. Is God relevant in the everyday activities of our lives? Is God relevant and worthy of my praise even if I cannot sense His presence? Is God relevant when I don’t seem to get any answers to my questions or guidance of who I am or where I should be going? Or is my faith only based on that which satisfies my present needs?
This state of “hollowness” or “aloneness” is not pleasant but is necessary in our Passion Week journey of faith. It is time of testing, just like what Jesus went through. All the disciples went home and left Jesus alone. In our relativistic, subjective, post modern culture, this state is to be feared and avoided. But the reality is, “yet I am not alone”, even if I cannot sense it or appreciate the blessings God gives me or enjoy the fellowship of others, the Father is always there. The dark night of the soul is not permanent, but God wants your faith to be permanent. The loneliness is not empty but full of the promise of Easter. The sorrow of everyone leaving God or the church is real, but not to be avoided. This sorrow and loneliness is to be lived through so your faith will be richer and fuller in Christ Jesus. It is to be lived through so you can identify more fully with those around you who are suffering, alone, and sorrowful. It is to be lived through so you can see the beauty of God more acutely and fully in the daily activities of life.
Jesus ended this verse with “Yet I am not alone..”. And we, too, can hang onto that reality as we journey through being alone.
