When Adam was first placed in the garden, can you imagine the splendor, the beauty, the awe of it all. Animals roamed free and he named them ~ all of them. Where did he come up with the name ‘platypus’? (Yeah, I know this might not be the original name. It might have been ‘Frank’.). He saw them play, graze, run free, and mate. And then it hit him – there wasn’t anybody for him. And so came ‘Eve’, and wow! Life would never be the same. The point – we were not made to be alone. Yeah, we need those away times, those get away from it all by myself, hiking the trails, seeing the splendor, and just getting refreshed times. But those are to be the exceptions, not the rule. We need someone to hang with, grow old with, and to walk alongside of. And then there are those times we do feel all alone, us against the world. Elijah, that great prophet and man of God, had this moment. He thought he was in the battle all by himself. Nobody else was picking up the fight and he had to take on the evil queen all alone. He doesn’t get it. Until God reveals this – you are not alone. Hundreds of others had been hidden in a cave for safety. They were in the battle, even when they are not in his line of sight -they were standing for the Lord.
We need friends. We need a tribe (see last entry). We need each other. And I hate to be cliche, but if you want a friend, be a friend. Too often we are only seeing our little splice of life and we expect people to come into it, expect them to come to us. Why? Maybe God wants you to be that part of the relationships that reaches out – the one that invites another for coffee (black please – none of that macchiato pumpkin maple venti skinny wet carmeletto with cinnamon, yuck). You be the one that gets out of your regular Sunday pew spot and go sit next to the guest, and after church, go for lunch. You can invite them to your house if you cook, but I don’t know what that looks like.
I get pretty drained listening to mature, tenured church people say that no one cares for them and no one talks to them. Get off that pew and reach out. Get into a small group. Join a bible study class. And if the other members are cranky and don’t want to get to know you, create a new one and broaden your circle.
One last thought, I know God realizes this, we feel lonely at times – we need to remember his promise that He is with us, never leaves us, never will. You may not see Him, feel Him, or think He cares. He does. And He is big enough to be with each of His kids. So tsk that to the bank. Our God will not forsake us.
I love hiking alone. But those times Matt J, Taylor F, or Calvin hiked with me – well those are even sweeter. Find your friends. Find your tribe. Do something together. But if you do find yourself without any other person around yourself, rest assured, God is always there.
Rabbit Trails 