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June 16, 2004 by Mike Jentes
thequest family,
This week, I was reading a tid-bit from our friends in Paris--Rob and Nichole Plaster (http://www.gbim.org/people/missionarybio.asp?pgid=438 ) and it said that of all the people who live in Paris, 50% live alone. I was astounded by that. I was chatting about it via Instant Messenger with Nichole yesterday and I remembered an experience I had in LA that I wanted to share.
I have been to Los Angeles several times and on one trip I was particularly fascinated by their highway system. See LA was built for cars and earthquakes...so the skyscrapers are spread out and the downtown area isn't as concentrated as it is in a MidWestern city like Columbus.
Anyway, driving on the highways...there is a diamond lane...a carpool or an HOV lane. That stands for High Occupancy Vehicle. That lane is closest to the median and the only vehicles that can be in that lane are ones that have a "high occupancy" (DUH!). The kicker to me, is what denotes High Occupancy is not that your back seat has to be full, but that you only have to have 2 people in the car!!!!!
I won't forget zooming down the highway (with a passenger) in a very open HOV lane at 65 MPH (or more). At the same time the 5 lanes of traffic directly out the passenger window just sat there...like a parking lot!. I was amazed that so many cars...and practically speaking so many people...were going somewhere all alone.
The Scripture jumps to my mind from back in the beginning: And the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a companion...." Genesis 2:17
Prior to this passage God had called everything he made good...the sun, the moon, the plants, the animals, everything..."It was good." Then he gets to this spot and he sees a person all alone and God says, "this is NOT good."
We weren't made to be alone. God isn't even alone...He lives in a community of three. Remember the Trinity--Father, Son & Holy Spirit.
The invitation to come into right relationship with God involves not only a personal and individual change...but moves a person from doing life INDEPENDENTLY to doing life within a FAMILY. God's Family is part of the the joy of coming to Him.
Now families have their issues and God's Family does have it's own issues. But what a relief to have a family, a place to call home, a comfort that you don't have to be alone facing this world. You have brothers and sisters who care, who pray, who come alongside you and who you can care for as well. That's what it's all about.
Some of you are thinking--Mike, you are missing the point that God is always with you so you aren't alone. And that is true. What an amazing thing. Isn't it great that as I am driving down the road alone I have God with me. But we still need to see God with skin on Him...at least I do.
And that's what the church is...it is the family of God...people who can give you REAL hugs when you need them. People who you can talk to and get eye contact from. People you can talk to God with when it feels like your prayers are bouncing back down on you from the ceiling.
Remember that Ambassador thing. Jesus left...and gave us the privilege of being His representatives. The reality is that we are standing in Jesus' place. We are Jesus with skin. We are the embracing arms of God to others in His family.
If you follow Jesus...You're not alone, you are part of a FAMILY!
Press On, Mike
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