Home Alone

Home Alone Yesterday, I spent all day, basically alone, feeling sorry for myself. I’m still unwell, and couldn’t be out all day to coach (let alone not wanting to spread whatever this is). So I put myself on a medicine schedule, and continued feeling sorry for myself. I spent all day doing things to occupy my time, but neglected (or, rather, ran away from) spending time alone with God. This morning, I’m still alone, but trying to have a godly perspective about it. I’m missing church, missing preaching, missing a lot of things. The Church is going on without me (which is something I always say I want), because godly men and women are there to step up. What makes today different than yesterday (well, most of yesterday, God disciplined me firmly), is that I began today, and am continuing, even now with God as the focus of my day. I’m seeking God through His word, through alone time, through prayer, and through silence. I’m starting to not look at this illness as a curse, but as a great blessing in which God brings me in to greater intimacy with Him. I will be watching church on my TV set, I have communion prepared, and I will enjoy watching one of my dear brothers in Christ preach today. I will take this home alone time as sacred time, entering in to God’s rest, His way. Loved ones, is this how you view adversity, trial, and hardship? Obviously, I’m still working on it, but every opportunity, especially when we’re facing difficult times, should be a tool with which we seek greater intimacy with our Maker. The Father desires us, he desires intimacy with us so much that He sent His son to be crushed under His wrath to pay the debt of our sins, and rise again, that we will not taste the 2nd death, so that His Spirit can dwell in us and walk with us. Consider that, and seek God completely. He is our only hope, our only reason, and the One who gives us TRUE love for all. Isaiah 43:

But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I give Egypt as your ransom, Cush and Seba in exchange for you. Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life. Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you. I will say to the north, Give up, and to the south, Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”

Bring out the people who are blind, yet have eyes, who are deaf, yet have ears! All the nations gather together, and the peoples assemble. Who among them can declare this, and show us the former things? Let them bring their witnesses to prove them right, and let them hear and say, It is true. “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me. I, I am the LORD, and besides me there is no savior. I declared and saved and proclaimed, when there was no strange god among you; and you are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and I am God. Also henceforth I am he; there is none who can deliver from my hand; I work, and who can turn it back?”

Thus says the LORD, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “For your sake I send to Babylon and bring them all down as fugitives, even the Chaldeans, in the ships in which they rejoice. I am the LORD, your Holy One, the Creator of Israel, your King.”

Thus says the LORD, who makes a way in the sea, a path in the mighty waters, who brings forth chariot and horse, army and warrior; they lie down, they cannot rise, they are extinguished, quenched like a wick: “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. The wild beasts will honor me, the jackals and the ostriches, for I give water in the wilderness, rivers in the desert, to give drink to my chosen people, the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.

“Yet you did not call upon me, O Jacob; but you have been weary of me, O Israel! You have not brought me your sheep for burnt offerings, or honored me with your sacrifices. I have not burdened you with offerings, or wearied you with frankincense. You have not bought me sweet cane with money, or satisfied me with the fat of your sacrifices. But you have burdened me with your sins; you have wearied me with your iniquities.

“I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins. Put me in remembrance; let us argue together; set forth your case, that you may be proved right. Your first father sinned, and your mediators transgressed against me. Therefore I will profane the princes of the sanctuary, and deliver Jacob to utter destruction and Israel to reviling.