Never Alone

http://youtu.be/ybHoecZ-1f8 - Abba Father - Acapella Company

Mark 14:36
“Abba, Father,” he cried out, “everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

Despair and defeat can be overwhelming, leaving us unable to move; unable to do the things that need to be done in order to rise above circumstances.  What can I do when I feel hopeless and alone?

Jesus turned to His Father.  When He was facing certain death, and not an easy, falling asleep death, but an excruciatingly painful death, He turned to His Father.  Jesus knew that God was in control and He trusted Him.  All His Father had to do was say "no more!"  He pleaded,  "Abba, Father, everything is possible for You.  Please take this cup of suffering away from me."  But Jesus didn't stop there.  His final words showed His complete trust in  God.  "Your will be done - not mine."

We face devastating events and struggles in our lives.  Many times we feel just like Jesus did.  We are overcome in fear and loneliness. This passage describes the depths of despair that Jesus felt.  He understands when we feel hopeless and abandoned.  He's been there. Have you ever felt alone?  Jesus understands.  He understands when the only One we can turn to is God.  He's been there.

Matthew 26:36-46
Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” 37 And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. 38 Then He said to them, “My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.”



39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”


40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? 41 Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”


42 Again, a second time, He went away and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 And He came and found them asleep again, for their eyes were heavy.


44 So He left them, went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to His disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Rise, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
 
The Psalmist understood too well those moments when there's no where to turn and no help is in sight; when we face a crisis feeling striped of any defense.  But David knew the answer.  He turned to God.

Psalm 61
Hear my cry, O God; Attend to my prayer.
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
When my heart is overwhelmed; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

For You have been a shelter for me, A strong tower from the enemy.


I will abide in Your tabernacle forever;  will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah


For You, O God, have heard my vows; You have given me the heritage of those who fear Your name.
You will prolong the king’s life, His years as many generations.
He shall abide before God forever.
Oh, prepare mercy and truth, which may preserve him!
So I will sing praise to Your name forever, That I may daily perform my vows.

I tend to think of David as a mighty conqueror and warrior. I remember him as the greatest king that ever ruled. He was wealthy and respected.  He was considered a man after God's own heart.  Sometimes, I forget how much David suffered, even after he became king.

We read in 1 Samuel that King Saul was threatened by young David.  David was everything Saul was not, and Saul wanted to kill him.  David had to go into hiding in fear for his very life, at times, he even lived in caves.  I can't even imagine.  That cave was a long way from the palace that he would some day have. On the run, David had to leave behind Michal, the woman he loved.  He also had to leave his best friend, Jonathan, who just happened to be the son of Saul.  He must have felt alone and deeply discouraged.  Yet David found comfort in God.

Psalm 27:7-14
Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!

Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.
When You said, “Seek My face,” My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”
Do not hide Your face from me; Do not turn Your servant away in anger;
You have been my help; Do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation.
When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.
Teach me Your way, O LORD, And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.
Do not deliver me to the will of my adversaries; For false witnesses have risen against me,
and such as breathe out violence.
I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.  

Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart;
Wait, I say, on the LORD!

There's another story in the New Testament.  Jesus has just fed 5000 with only 5 loaves and 2 fish.
The apostles must have been on a spiritual high!  To witness such a great miracle would certainly be life changing. Jesus sent the crowds away, and then told the apostles to go on ahead without him. Jesus then went off by Himself to pray.

In the darkness of night, a storm arose.  The disciples are afraid and alone.  Can you imagine the fear that raced through their minds as the waves raged and threatened to overturn the boat?  Remember, the disciples have just witnessed Jesus's supernatural power, but Jesus wasn't there.  They were alone.

Read the story closely.  From His position on the mountain, he saw that they were in trouble and He went to them. The apostles thought they were alone, but Jesus saw their struggles, and He came to their rescue.


   Mark 6
After telling everyone good-bye, he went up into the hills by himself to pray.



47 Late that night, the disciples were in their boat in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. 48 He saw that they were in serious trouble, rowing hard and struggling against the wind and waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. He intended to go past them, 49 but when they saw him walking on the water, they cried out in terror, thinking he was a ghost. 50 They were all terrified when they saw him.


But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage! I am here!” 51 Then he climbed into the boat, and the wind stopped. They were totally amazed, 52 for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.

"Don't be afraid.  Take courage! I am here!"

Does anyone besides me need to hear that?  "Don't be afraid.  Take courage! I am here!"
What happened next?  The wind stopped.  The sea became calm.  That's what happens when we trust Jesus.
Whatever the struggle may be, He sees and He cares.  No matter how alone we may feel, we are never alone. We have His promises.

Matthew 28:20
and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” 

Hebrews 13:5b-6
For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
 we may boldly say:

http://youtu.be/5q3IjmZQT2A - All I Need is You - Hillsong United

We are never alone, even when no human help is in sight.  The struggles we face, we do not face by ourselves.  Just like Jesus calmed the sea for the apostles, He can calm our sea as well.  Listen! Hear His voice saying: 

"Don't be afraid. Take courage! I am here!"

We are children of God.  He has invited us to call Him, Abba, Father!  We don't have to fear anything because our Father is Creator and Sustainer of the Universe.  We can trust Him to carry us through any struggle and when the time is perfect, He will bring us Home safely.


Galatians 4:6
And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

Romans 8:15-16
So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” 16 For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.

“ The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”



http://youtu.be/zlA5IDnpGhc - Our God is Greater - Chris Tomlin
 
Prayer - from a "Book of Prayer" by Stormie Omartian
 
Lord, whatever I need to do to make my path one of safety and peace, show me how and enable me to do it.  Give me wisdom, strength, and clarity of mind to hear what You are saying to me in the midst of any dark or overwhelming situation.  I know that it is my enemy who "has made me dwell in darkness.  Therefore my spirit is overwhelmed within me.  Cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You". (Psalm 143:3-4,8)  May my life be a testimony of the power of Your glory manifested as I walk in the light You have given me.  I ask these things in the powerful Name of Jesus. Amen.