I was preaching today from common lectionary texts: II KIngs 2:1-14, Elisha was following close to Elijah who he did not want to be separated from. In the Gospel reading, Mark 9:2-14, Jesus had told his disciples he was leaving them alone too, and they did not want him to go. In both instances staying close seemed to make them feel "safe and comforted" being left alone on the other hand would force them to become confident and courageous. Three times Elisha was told "do you know your master is going to leave you" Three times he said yes but I do not want to hear it. The disciples heard it often but they did not want to hear it. They did not want to hear of or experience "being left alone".
Interestingly, only when we face our aloneness do we realize that we are not alone. God's presence is inside of us. When we face the grief of our aloneness we find the grace that strengthens us.
Alone, is when and where we meet the Glory of God, as the presence of God strengthening us from within so we are assured that we are never alone. We fear alone but when we face alone we find we are not alone!
About Me
- Don Paine
- I am a pastor and a clinical psychotherapist. My life's passion is defining healthiness from a human perspective and paralleling it to the holiness of God, divine perspective. Shifting perspectives creates a paradigm that is alongside of rather than over and against. The parakalein of God and the paradoxes of humanity are redefined. Humanity is all about winning and yet we are losing ground everywhere. Divinity is all about letting go of the desire to win and the fear of loss. The Divine embraces the world with loving care regardless of anything.
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