Oceans Away

Give it a few weeks on mission trips or a big move in life and then I start to notice a pattern that keeps happening.  I get extremely stoked about the journey thinking it would be a walk in the park and when I get there something hits me like a ton of bricks.  Is that homesickness knocking on my door?  I totally didn't see this one coming because I honestly have the best family here in Palau, however, even a sanguine person like me can start to miss home and the brothas that made home feel like home.  So lets take some time to look at the dreaded topic of homesickness and feeling alone.  

Jesus Had Nobody to Bear His Burden

I don't think we really understand that point that was stated right above.  I am privileged to have people in my life who have my back and aid me in the burdens I bear such as mom, dad, Drew, and the list goes on.  But Jesus on the other hand, never really had that.  He did not have anyone to pour out his heart to when the going gets tough.  He was on a thirty-three year mission trip with no earthly person who fully understood Him.  I don't know about you, but I can't really imagine what that's like.  In fact Isaiah 53:3 writes, "He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not."  No one had Jesus' back.  In fact people looked at Him as if He were cursed.  

Even Jesus' disciples were not able to take his burdens away from Him.  Imagine with me that you were in the scene in Gethsemane.  Jesus was going to be nailed to the cross in a few moments and it was right then that He needed His disciples the most, yet they were asleep.  In fact Ellen White writes,

" Again He had felt a longing for companionship, for some words from His disciples which would bring relief, and break the spell of darkness that well nigh overpowered Him.  But their eyes were heavy.....The savior trod the wine press alone and of the people there was none with Him."

What Jesus needed the most was some uplifting.  He needed someone to tell Him that His sacrifice was not in vein or maybe that millions would be saved because of His love.  But all he had were some friends that were asleep.  As I look at Gethsemane all I can honestly say is wow.  

But why focus on such a sad theme?  It's actually for this very reason, "Jesus was alone so that you'll never have to feel alone."  Because Jesus went through a cold earth all by Himself with no friends or family members that fully understood Him, you won't ever have to go through this earth  without someone that understands you. It doesn't matter where you are, Jesus knows your burdens, He knows when you're homesick or feeling alone, even if you're oceans away.

Matthew 28:20 ...And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.  Amen

“Jesus was alone so that you’ll never feel alone”