True Loneliness

Yesterday marked the beginning of Holy Week for Christians around the world. We celebrated at our church with Communion and half of the Easter Cantata. This half dealt with the events leading up to the Resurrection. Next Sunday, the choir will present the second half of this beautiful and powerful Word.

One of the soloists, who is a good friend of mine, was talking to me after church. We both agreed that not only did Jesus have the weight of the world on His Shoulders on Good Friday, but He had to deal with incredible loneliness throughout the week. Yes, He was surrounded by His closest friends and the thousands who were in Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. But deep down, only He and the Father knew what was approaching....and it was the very reason He was sent to earth to live as a Man.

Can you imagine this scenario? You and your three BFF's go on a weekend getaway. Things are going great! Delicious food at wonderful restaurants, great shopping with lots of sales, and time to chill out and simply visit without any interruptions. Life is SO good! But deep down, you have a heavy heart. It may be that your husband's job is on the line, or you've discovered a lump and are waiting results. Just imagine if you couldn't share any of this with your BFF's because they wouldn't understand. Then, to make it even more difficult, one night you decided that you needed to finally talk to God about this. You ask your friends to accompany you to a nearby church and you head inside. Your friends are simply precious, but they are worn out from all of the shopping and running around you've done. You settle in to pray and want them to pray with you. You spend your time that is so sweet with God, and you turn around to thank your friends for being there and praying with you. But, low and behold, they've drifted off to sleep on the pews! How would you feel? These are your best friends in the world, and yet they couldn't do one little itty bitty thing for you! You only needed them to pray with you. And this happens more than once in the case of the disciples--Jesus' BFF's ! Bless His heart! Can you imagine the loneliness and the pain? Oh, my goodness, as humans we simply cannot fathom the exact thoughts and feelings that flowed through our Savior!

I encourage each of you this week to take time and slip away to a quiet place--no children, husbands, or cell phones--and spend time focusing on this loneliness that our precious Lord endured for you and me. Talk to God, but most importantly, listen to what He in turn says to you! Mark 14: 32-42 is where you can find this in the Bible.

Many blessings,