Our Exile

Loving and Supporting One Another 
Is Better Done At Close Range

Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

                                                                            (1 Thes 5:14-15 KJV)

Warn those who are falling away; comfort those who need comforting; support those who need help of any kind; and do it all with patience. In other words, love one another. 

The powers that be have isolated us from one another to the best of their ability this past year. Humankind was not made to live in total isolation. No one can live life to even near its fullest without interaction with others. We need others to remind us when we are falling away. Written words are helpful even as Paul wrote to the many church. They are helpful. But, we need people in person to comfort us and support us. As Christians, we do not live for ourselves but for the whole Body of Christ. It is difficult for the Body of Christ to work as one when we steer so clear of one another. 

The vaccination is being widely administered quite rapidly. Whether or not it works is a question many people have. But, with faith in this vaccination  hopefully the fear of dying that so many people have will disappear to a large extent soon and we can get back to actually and actively doing doing good. Hopefully, we will get back to actually and actively loving one another. That is... if we haven't forgotten how.

Have we really been looking to God or politicians and government agencies to save us from this isolation; from this exile?  

In the end remember that no matter what happens in this world the only hope any of us truly have is hope in the promises of God through Jesus the Christ. That hope includes living reconciled to God and to one another in the Body of Christ, in the Kingdom of God. Whatever the world says do not neglect what we know to be good: to exhort one another; to support and and comfort one another, with much patience. 

"Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost." (Rom 15:13)

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Alone: A Good Or Bad Thing

"But so much the more went there a fame abroad of him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by him of their infirmities. And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed."  (Luke 5:15-16 KJV)

Is being alone a good or a bad thing? It can be either.

Scripture tells us that it is good that people should support one another. We should not be without fellowship. We should not isolate ourselves from others but live and serve the Lord and one another together.

"Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up." (Eccl 4:9-10)

And then we have St. Paul telling us that it would be better not to marry so we can better serve the Lord. Yet, if we can not restrain ourselves then it is better to marry. 

"I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, it is good for them if they abide even as I. But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn." (1 Cor 7:8-9)

Paul may not have been devoted to a wife. Yet, he was not alone. He served the Lord in fellowship with other followers and above all God was with him.

So shall we live alone or must we, as so many people seem to think, live in some type of committed relationship with another? 

It is good to have someone to share life with. But, in search of that special person be very careful that you are not stepping into a lonely state of being even while you are not physically alone. The loneliness that is sometimes experienced even while you are with someone can be far worse than being alone. 

Despite what some people have conjured up in their minds and promoted, no where in scripture do we find that Jesus himself was in any type of committed relationship with any one individual other than his Father in heaven. For sure, he surrounded himself with people as he served them. He surrounded himself with those he was teaching. Those are good things. But, he would also often withdraw himself from the community in order to talk one on one with his Father, our Father in heaven. "And he withdrew himself into the wilderness, and prayed." (Luke 5:16)

Whether we commit to spend our lives with someone is entirely our choice. May that choice be one based on mutual love and a mutual desire to serve God and all whom God has created. 

It would; however, be very unwise to put any one person before the Lord your God. It is most beneficial to do as Jesus did and withdraw from others at least for short periods of time every day and spend time in prayer; in communication, with our Father in heaven. 

He will be there for you always and He will guide you in His ways. Seek His presence and spend intentional time with Him daily for He loves you as no other can.  

God's Peace - Pr. J.

In God I Trust

In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? (Psalm 56:4 NIV)

There was a time when I was accused of being too trusting. Of course, in doing that I was hurt and disappointed way too many times. I learned the very hard way not to trust everyone and came to trust very, very few. That didn't work out so well, either. Not trusting anyone tends to isolate you and people are not meant to live in isolation. 

Not trusting anyone was not working too well for me so I turned to the one that I had trusted as a child. I turned back to God. That works quite well for me. Because I trust Him, I am able to do His will in spite of the fact that others might use me. I can reach out to strangers because I trust that God is with me. Because I trust Him, I do not fear what might or might not happen to me here in this world. I know that in the end, no matter what happens, I will live in His house, in His Presence, for all eternity. I am not and will not be alone.

Life is much easier when we trust Him!

God's Peace - Pr. J