9-19-2017

Good Morning All,

         Romans 8:34; “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

       When I visit some of the members in our congregation who no longer have a partner, whether through death, divorce or whatever manner, they often speak of the loneliness that they face.  They acknowledge that the daytime is pretty tolerable and the evening can drag out some but the thing they dread is facing situations alone.  If they go out to eat, they go alone.  If they have an appointment, they face it alone.  When they have a decision to make, they make it alone.  Oh, they can ask a friend or a relative but it isn’t the same.  The friend would usually just support the decision made or stand back when an event occurred.  Every event in their life is faced alone.  Any type of concern or worry is entirely theirs and theirs alone.  They get up and go out into the world alone and it can be very daunting.

     Most of us do not like to do things alone.   We don’t like to enter unknown rooms by ourself; we don’t like to begin totally new ventures by ourself.  We like companionship.  Humans are social creatures.  This goes back to our very creation where God spoke that “it is not good for man to be alone.”  It can be very painful.  Being alone can feed into our greatest fear; that we are truly alone, separated from God.

    This is part of the reason that Jesus came into this world.  He came that you and I would not have to be alone.  He came to open the path of reconciliation between man and God, between you and God.  He came so that we could approach God’s holy throne with all confidence and hope.  He tore the curtain in the temple to open the path and to reveal that nothing stands in our way.  We are free to come into his presence.

    Yet, Jesus does so much more.  He not only opens the door for us but he enters in with us and for us.  He speaks for us; he pleads for us; he intercedes to the Father for us.  He goes with us to the Father’s throne to plead our cause.  He goes with us to plead for mercy, to ask for strength, to seek comfort and hope.  Jesus goes with us every step of the way.  He speaks what needs to be said.  He speaks on our behalf even when we are not sure of what to say.  He speaks the words that we need in order that we might be healed and made whole again. 

    We never have to face this time alone; Jesus is always present for us.  First He clears the path for us so that our journey is made possible to the Father’s throne where we can plead our fears and God has promised to listen to us.  Secondly, He does not send us down this path alone but He attends to us as we journey.  He picks us up and holds us as he guides us on our way home.

Father of all love and grace, in you we have hope.  We give thanks that Jesus has opened the path to your grace and leads us home.  When we do not know what to pray, Jesus prays for us, interceding for us.  There are so many times that we do not know what to say; yet you hear us and answer us.  You sustain us with your love and for this we praise your name.  In the name of Jesus our risen Savior we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret