Articles
Serving God Alone
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"Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me." (Jn. 16:32)
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Ideally, serving God should be a communal experience. In the Old Testament, God's plan was fulfilled through a family that grew into a nation. The shared culture of these people not only preserved their identity in an alien world, it provided a sense of belonging that gave every individual a foundation for life. In the New Testament, a more universal body of believers finds expression in local churches, little communities in which individuals, whatever their social status or background, find the security of a home and family.
But occasionally circumstances will conspire to remove a servant of God from the embrace of companions. He is plunged into the storms of life alone, without kith or kin, and must endure with whatever resources he possesses within himself. No one to lend encouragement, no one to offer comfort, no one to lean on. It's in times like these that one's faith is stretched to the limit.
In the last hours of His life, Jesus knew that isolation. His enemies had gained the upper hand and were closing in. His dearest friends had panicked and fled. He went through His final ordeal utterly alone, cursed by a world that had no clue why He was even here, nor appreciated the significance of what He was doing. As if to intensify His gloom, even the midday skies over His head turned dark.
Jesus knew this day would come, and was ready for it. He assured His disciples that whatever disaster befell Him, "I am not alone, because the Father is with Me." He clung to that conviction through the beatings, the mockery, and the stakes pounded through His hands and feet. Even when it seemed certain that all was lost ("My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"), He refused to give up. The task had to be finished.
For me, it's easy to glide through the story of Jesus' crucifixion, knowing how the story played out. But what I can't see is the path my own story will take. In the midst of my own distress, the temptation to give up is strong. Nobody cares. Nobody listens. Nobody draws near to help. I am facing this struggle alone, and the pain is unbearable.
Somewhere deep inside, I must cling to one essential truth: "I am not alone, because the Father is with me." Jesus is with Me too, and armed with their presence, I will see this through.
--David
