Never Alone
John 16:32,33 Listen to me. A time is coming when you will be scattered, each to his own home. In fact, that time is already here. You will leave me, and I will be alone. But I am never really alone, because the Father is with me. “I have told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!”
I remember, probably during the worst time of my life, feeling incredibly alone. There were some well-meaning people around me, but it seemed that nothing that they were able to say or do, could make a dent in that sense of abject loneliness.
One of the things that really gets me about Jesus being nailed to that Cross is that He suffered completely alone. Everyone – His friends, His disciples, even His family – deserted Him.
That of course was no surprise to Him. He’d already told His disciples that that was precisely what was going to happen.
I think you’d agree that there’s nothing worse than suffering alone. And anyone who has suffered – that’s pretty much all of us, isn’t it – will tell you that even if you’re surrounded by people (well-meaning, loving people even), suffering has this way of making you feel as though you’re completely alone.
But Jesus knew that He wasn’t alone. Even in His darkest hour, even when His inner circle had deserted Him, He was able to say:
John 16:32,33 Listen to me. A time is coming when you will be scattered, each to his own home. In fact, that time is already here. You will leave me, and I will be alone. But I am never really alone, because the Father is with me. “I have told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have troubles. But be brave! I have defeated the world!”
And it was for that reason that He was at peace. His Father was with Him through thick and thin. And that’s why you and I can have peace, because we’re never alone. Never, ever, ever. God is here with us and that’s where you experience His peace, right in the middle of your suffering.
That’s God’s Word. Fresh … for you … today.
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