Loneliness

Loneliness…  

by Jane

Much intrigued by Irene’s sharing of “loneliness”, I felt compelled to find answers from the Bible, the way that Albert strongly recommended all these years in Bible studies.

Much to my surprise, the word “loneliness” was never mentioned in the entire Bible (NIV).

Instead, I discovered In Genesis:

• · Our Creator is a triune God (three in one Godhead). 
• · We are created in God’s own image. 
• · After Adam, God also created Eve, as his helper and companion. 
• · Animal Kingdom, birds and fishes are created “according to their kinds” in different species. 
• · Noah’s ark…. Animals two by two entered the ark and survived the flood. 

Could this imply that loneliness was never part of God’s creation, but simply a breakdown in our relationships with each other and our Father in heaven?

In the New Testament, Jesus was found in lonely places, only by choice:

• Mark 1:45

Instead he went out and began to talk freely, spreading the news. As a result, Jesus could no longer enter a town openly but stayed outside in lonely places. Yet the people still came to him from everywhere.

• Luke 5:16

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.· 

Jesus was alone, purposely;

•  Mark 6:47

Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and he was alone on land.

• ·Matthew 14:23

After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone,

• Luke 9:36

When the voice had spoken, they found that Jesus was alone. The disciples kept this to themselves and did not tell anyone at that time what they had seen.

Yet Jesus was never lonely:

• John 8:16

But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me.

• ·John 16:32

“A time is coming and in fact has come when you will be scattered, each to your own home. You will leave me all alone. Yet I am not alone, for my Father is with me.

In fact, Jesus gave us the wonderful promise: 

• Matthew 11:28

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Does this not also apply to the broken hearted, discouraged, depressed (although that is another word not found in the Bible), the wounded, the lonely and the lost? 

Let us not forget…. 

• · Malachi 3:7

Ever since the time of your ancestors you have turned away from my decrees and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you,” says the Lord Almighty.

• · Hebrews 13:5 

Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”