When RuthAnn and I were first getting to know each other we only communicated by Instant Messenger on Facebook. Seeing she was on the East Coast and I was on the West Coast her morning message would be waiting for me when I got up. Normally it was full of encouraging thoughts she had during her devotion time. Bible verses and quotes from spirit of prophecy, it was always so cool to read and led to my responding with my own devotional thoughts.
As the day went on we would send short texts or just emojis that expressed what we were feeling or going through at that moment. Sometime during one of those short blurbs RuthAnn mentioned how sometimes it would be good just to get away to a desert island for a while and she used a palm tree emoji. I responded that the island would need the following: monkeys, bananas and chickens again, using an emoji for each. From that time on and even now whenever one us would send the other emojis for palm tree, monkey, banana and chicken instantly we know there is something frustrating in our lives. We seek that place where we could be away from it all.
I am pretty sure that it is human nature to seek refuge from the world. I don’t know if this is a modern thing because of the fast pace world we live in or if it is something built into our DNA that creates the need for solitude. I know that I have always been a loner. Even as a kid I was ok by myself. And if I sought company it was normally with my dog Specks.
The truth is that there is real benefit in solitude, Jesus often sought that time alone when He could just be with the Father. He gave us this advice about it, “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. (Mathew 6:6) There is a time when all of us should seek to be alone just with our Creator.
My problem was that I sought what I called ‘self-aloneness’. Here is what I mean. During my drinking and druging years I was perfectly happy sitting in a room by myself with a bottle of booze and a bag of speed. In fact, I preferred it. There is a rocker named Ted Nugent, he wrote a song “I Drink Alone” part of the lyrics goes like this:
The other day I got invited to a party,
But I stayed home instead
Just me and my pal Johnny Walker
And his brothers Black and Red
And we drink alone…
The reference that non-drinkers might not get is ‘Johnny Walker’ is a kind of Scotch Whiskey and Black and Red are types of that brand of booze. This was my theme song for many years. I liked self-imposed aloneness. And when I look at it now, I find it very sad.
So, what is my point? For me it is simple. There is good alone and really bad alone. And as servants of the living God we need to know the difference. I am sure most of you have never sat alone in a room with a bottle of booze drinking yourself into oblivion. But I will also bet that a lot of you have sat in front of a TV or computer, spending hours alone either bingeing on a reality show or playing your favorite video game. Or maybe for you it is social media. Whatever it is, this is the ‘self-aloneness’ I am talking about and it is not what God seeks for us.
The amazing thing for me was as the Holy Spirit was transforming my life, I found the need for this aloneness was taken from me. I read this verse “For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy.” (2 Timothy 3:2) I saw who I was sitting in that room alone, absorbed in myself and I never wanted to be that person again and through the grace of God I am not! I have been called to service and seek to spread the love of Jesus Christ and His last day message. And I know you cannot do that sitting alone in a room no matter what your addiction is.
My blessing is now I have a partner in Christ, in RuthAnn, who has assured and taught me a lot about good alone time, in prayer and in devotion. And with us even when we do share the palm tree, monkey, banana and chicken, I know that we would seek a desert island where we could serve God in a way that helps others to see they are never alone. May you today see those things in your life that bind you in ‘self-aloneness’ and know, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, (Titus 2:11-12) Be alone with God today and you are never alone. Then go out and share with others!
Blessings John
4/23/18
