We Are Never Alone
Stories
Object:
Contents
"We Are Never Alone" by Keith Wagner
"Thank God for His Presence" by Keith Wagner
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We Are Never Alone
by Keith Wagner
John 14:15-21
In the movie, Castaway, Tom Hanks plays the part of a man who is marooned on an island. He was the lone survivor from a plane that crashed into the ocean. He manages to find food and survives on the island for about four years. During that time he was alone, starved for interaction with other human beings, missing his fiancé, and grieving over the fact that he was unable to live in society. One day a volleyball floated ashore and Tom Hanks named the volleyball Wilson. He put a face on him and he talked to him as if he were another human being. When Hanks left the island on a raft he had made Wilson got separated from the raft and Hanks was unable to retrieve him. He was totally crushed, having lost his only friend in the world.
When we are lonely we will go to great lengths to compensate for our feelings of isolation and abandonment. Sometimes we substitute human interaction with other things. Some use material things to replace their feelings of emptiness. Others stay busy, filling their agendas with extracurricular activities. Loneliness can be very painful.
When we are alone there is a fear of being forgotten. Sadness and unhappiness occurs and that often leads to hopelessness and despair. Here in John we find the disciples feeling abandoned since Jesus will be leaving them soon. Life will be different without their faithful companion and friend. How will they continue his ministry? How will they survive in a hostile world?
Jesus prepared them by saying, "I will not leave you orphaned." He assured them that there would be a comforter, a counselor, an advocate who would be their friend and helper. Jesus would continue to "abide in them," as the Holy Spirit and therefore they would continue to experience the presence and assurance of God. That same spirit is within us as well. And that relationship depends on our willingness, as Jesus said, "to keep his commandments." In other words, we will never be alone as long as we continue to "love one another and love God."
When I taught Interviewing and Counseling Techniques at Edison Community College I used a video series that has a variety of counseling sessions. In one exchange there was an elderly woman whose only daughter has died. A counselor, by the name of Lourdes, made visits to her home, trying to help Myra cope with her grief. Things were progressing slowly since Myra was hesitant to express her feelings. Lourdes was not very successful and tried several approaches but none seemed to work. One day she asked Myra to tell her about the things that reminded her about her daughter. She said that their favorite thing was to take walks together. Lourdes got an idea and asked Myra if it would be okay if they took a walk together. They did, and Myra finally began to open up. She realized that what she missed was the opportunity to talk to someone younger than herself.
Whenever someone befriends us in such a way it enables us to experience life again. We no longer feel the emptiness and void of being alone. Lourdes realized that she couldn't replace Myra's daughter nor did she intend to. Her friendship however, enabled Myra to awaken from her sorrow and experience the love of interacting with another human being.
I believe the primary message in this passage of John is that we are never alone. Those who befriend us and share our struggles are emanating the presence of God. God does not abandon us or leave us as orphans. God is always with us.
Thank God for His Presence
by Keith Wagner
Psalm 66:8-20
The psalmist proclaims what God has done for him and for all others. He praises God for his help, especially during the exile. He is thankful for God's mercy. The words, "He who has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip" echo the same theme from John that God is always with us. In appreciation for God's protective care the psalmist offers "burnt offerings" as a symbol of his gratitude.
When people are lonely they tend to compound that loneliness by withdrawing from society. Filled with self-pity, they isolate themselves from contact with people. By failing to reach out they create barriers that can prevent them from making friends. We tend to forget that friendships are born because one person took a risk and reached out to another.
At one of my churches my wife and I included a colleague on the church staff in our family gatherings. He was a bachelor and we had several teenagers at the time. We invited him to come for birthday celebrations and holiday cookouts. We became close friends and since that particular church was in a transition, it was helpful to have someone who was there to walk through those changing circumstances with me. In October 1989, there was a huge snowstorm in Southwest Ohio. Large amounts of ice formed on power lines and we were without power for three days. We farmed out the children to the homes of their friends and our bachelor friend invited us to stay with him until our power was restored. In a time of great need he was a true friend.
God's unconditional love is the bonding agent that makes friendship a reality. When we are willing to extend ourselves to others on the pathways of life we can be assured that God will always be with us.
Jesus said to the disciples in John, "I will not leave you desolate." Likewise the psalmist was thankful for God's protective care. Just as God was with the Hebrews during the exile, God is present with us in our darkest moments.
The psalmist also said, "Come and hear, all you who fear God." When we listen we experience the presence of God in the midst of peril.
In his book, The Heart of the Enlightened, Anthony deMello, S.J., tells a story about a man who was alone in the desert. A traveler was lost in the desert and he despaired of ever finding water. He struggled up one hilltop then another. He had hopes of sighting a stream somewhere. He kept looking in every direction with no success. As he staggered onward, his foot caught on a dry bush and he stumbled to the ground. He lay there, with no energy to get up. Neither did he have any desire to try. All seemed hopeless.
While he lay there, helpless and dejected, he suddenly became aware of the silence of the desert. The peace and quiet of the moment gave him the ability to listen. Shortly thereafter he raised his head because he had heard something. It was the sound of running water. He found the strength to rise and he moved forward until he arrived at a stream with fresh, cool water.
We are never alone. God's Spirit is always with us. Sometimes there are friends to walk with us during difficult times. At the same time God wants us to reach out and be willing to include strangers in our lives. The spirit of God can also move us to refreshment when we are willing to listen. Thank God for his presence.
Rev. Dr. Keith Wagner is the pastor of St. John's UCC in Troy, Ohio. He and his wife, Lin, live in Springfield, Ohio.
*****************************************
StoryShare, May 25, 2014, issue.
Copyright 2014 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
"We Are Never Alone" by Keith Wagner
"Thank God for His Presence" by Keith Wagner
* * * * * * *
We Are Never Alone
by Keith Wagner
John 14:15-21
In the movie, Castaway, Tom Hanks plays the part of a man who is marooned on an island. He was the lone survivor from a plane that crashed into the ocean. He manages to find food and survives on the island for about four years. During that time he was alone, starved for interaction with other human beings, missing his fiancé, and grieving over the fact that he was unable to live in society. One day a volleyball floated ashore and Tom Hanks named the volleyball Wilson. He put a face on him and he talked to him as if he were another human being. When Hanks left the island on a raft he had made Wilson got separated from the raft and Hanks was unable to retrieve him. He was totally crushed, having lost his only friend in the world.
When we are lonely we will go to great lengths to compensate for our feelings of isolation and abandonment. Sometimes we substitute human interaction with other things. Some use material things to replace their feelings of emptiness. Others stay busy, filling their agendas with extracurricular activities. Loneliness can be very painful.
When we are alone there is a fear of being forgotten. Sadness and unhappiness occurs and that often leads to hopelessness and despair. Here in John we find the disciples feeling abandoned since Jesus will be leaving them soon. Life will be different without their faithful companion and friend. How will they continue his ministry? How will they survive in a hostile world?
Jesus prepared them by saying, "I will not leave you orphaned." He assured them that there would be a comforter, a counselor, an advocate who would be their friend and helper. Jesus would continue to "abide in them," as the Holy Spirit and therefore they would continue to experience the presence and assurance of God. That same spirit is within us as well. And that relationship depends on our willingness, as Jesus said, "to keep his commandments." In other words, we will never be alone as long as we continue to "love one another and love God."
When I taught Interviewing and Counseling Techniques at Edison Community College I used a video series that has a variety of counseling sessions. In one exchange there was an elderly woman whose only daughter has died. A counselor, by the name of Lourdes, made visits to her home, trying to help Myra cope with her grief. Things were progressing slowly since Myra was hesitant to express her feelings. Lourdes was not very successful and tried several approaches but none seemed to work. One day she asked Myra to tell her about the things that reminded her about her daughter. She said that their favorite thing was to take walks together. Lourdes got an idea and asked Myra if it would be okay if they took a walk together. They did, and Myra finally began to open up. She realized that what she missed was the opportunity to talk to someone younger than herself.
Whenever someone befriends us in such a way it enables us to experience life again. We no longer feel the emptiness and void of being alone. Lourdes realized that she couldn't replace Myra's daughter nor did she intend to. Her friendship however, enabled Myra to awaken from her sorrow and experience the love of interacting with another human being.
I believe the primary message in this passage of John is that we are never alone. Those who befriend us and share our struggles are emanating the presence of God. God does not abandon us or leave us as orphans. God is always with us.
Thank God for His Presence
by Keith Wagner
Psalm 66:8-20
The psalmist proclaims what God has done for him and for all others. He praises God for his help, especially during the exile. He is thankful for God's mercy. The words, "He who has kept us among the living, and has not let our feet slip" echo the same theme from John that God is always with us. In appreciation for God's protective care the psalmist offers "burnt offerings" as a symbol of his gratitude.
When people are lonely they tend to compound that loneliness by withdrawing from society. Filled with self-pity, they isolate themselves from contact with people. By failing to reach out they create barriers that can prevent them from making friends. We tend to forget that friendships are born because one person took a risk and reached out to another.
At one of my churches my wife and I included a colleague on the church staff in our family gatherings. He was a bachelor and we had several teenagers at the time. We invited him to come for birthday celebrations and holiday cookouts. We became close friends and since that particular church was in a transition, it was helpful to have someone who was there to walk through those changing circumstances with me. In October 1989, there was a huge snowstorm in Southwest Ohio. Large amounts of ice formed on power lines and we were without power for three days. We farmed out the children to the homes of their friends and our bachelor friend invited us to stay with him until our power was restored. In a time of great need he was a true friend.
God's unconditional love is the bonding agent that makes friendship a reality. When we are willing to extend ourselves to others on the pathways of life we can be assured that God will always be with us.
Jesus said to the disciples in John, "I will not leave you desolate." Likewise the psalmist was thankful for God's protective care. Just as God was with the Hebrews during the exile, God is present with us in our darkest moments.
The psalmist also said, "Come and hear, all you who fear God." When we listen we experience the presence of God in the midst of peril.
In his book, The Heart of the Enlightened, Anthony deMello, S.J., tells a story about a man who was alone in the desert. A traveler was lost in the desert and he despaired of ever finding water. He struggled up one hilltop then another. He had hopes of sighting a stream somewhere. He kept looking in every direction with no success. As he staggered onward, his foot caught on a dry bush and he stumbled to the ground. He lay there, with no energy to get up. Neither did he have any desire to try. All seemed hopeless.
While he lay there, helpless and dejected, he suddenly became aware of the silence of the desert. The peace and quiet of the moment gave him the ability to listen. Shortly thereafter he raised his head because he had heard something. It was the sound of running water. He found the strength to rise and he moved forward until he arrived at a stream with fresh, cool water.
We are never alone. God's Spirit is always with us. Sometimes there are friends to walk with us during difficult times. At the same time God wants us to reach out and be willing to include strangers in our lives. The spirit of God can also move us to refreshment when we are willing to listen. Thank God for his presence.
Rev. Dr. Keith Wagner is the pastor of St. John's UCC in Troy, Ohio. He and his wife, Lin, live in Springfield, Ohio.
*****************************************
StoryShare, May 25, 2014, issue.
Copyright 2014 by CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Lima, Ohio.
All rights reserved. Subscribers to the StoryShare service may print and use this material as it was intended in sermons, in worship and classroom settings, in brief devotions, in radio spots, and as newsletter fillers. No additional permission is required from the publisher for such use by subscribers only. Inquiries should be addressed to permissions@csspub.com or to Permissions, CSS Publishing Company, Inc., 5450 N. Dixie Highway, Lima, Ohio 45807.
