Loneliness
Well, another separated, segregated, socially-distanced and ‘virtually realized’ Lord’s Day has now come and gone. Although many of us enjoyed the sacred privilege of spirit and truth worship on Sunday, we still continue to experience a certain level of sadness and spiritual loneliness due to the sustained lack of personal fellowship with our brothers and sisters that we are having to suffer through.
Feeling a bit of loneliness?
The Bible tells us that Jesus was made like us in all things, and tempted like us in all things, so that He could sympathize with and help us in all things (Heb. 2:17-18, 4:14-16). As this life-altering, self-quarantining, and social distancing chaos continues to drone on and seeks to drag us all down on a daily basis, we may be tempted to think, “Well, I don’t recall reading where Jesus ever went through anything like this. How can He possibly sympathize with what I’m going through right now?” May I suggest that He did, He does, and because He did and does so strongly, that He is still the only source of the real strength we need in order to get us all through this.
Life-altering:Neither the life-changing sacrifices that so many of us have been forced to make in this fight against the Coronavirus, or even all of them taken together world-wide, can begin to compare with the infinitely life-altering changes that Jesus chose to make, in order to come and win our battle against the far deadlier and more widespread virus of sin.Having been with God the Father and at home with Him in heaven since before time began, Jesus sacrificed the glories of heaven, for the sufferings of earth (Jn. 1:1-3; Phil. 2:5-8).
Self-quarantining:When Jesus left the glories of heaven and equality with God behind in order to come to earth and die for our sins, He voluntarily quarantined Himself in a lowly body of human flesh (Jn. 1:14); being made like His brethren in all things so that he could experience– and conquer – death for everyone (Hebs. 2:14-18). Thus, His became a situation that would not only temporarily cost Him the closeness of His nearest and dearest of earthly friends (Matt. 26:56b; Jn. 16:32), but also that of His heavenly Father (Matt. 27:46).
Social Distancing:There were a number of times during Jesus’ earthly life when He and/or His family had to suddenly distance themselves from others, and for a variety of different reasons (Matt. 2:13-15; Mk. 5:14-21; Jn. 11:1-15, 54, 13:36, 14:1-3,18:1-8).
The point of this, is simply this: Jesus knows; Jesus cares; and Jesus definitely understands. In days to come, whenever this starts to wear on you again and you are tempted to lose heart, just remember: “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Heb. 4:14-16).
God bless. God be thanked. To God be the glory; always and in all ways.