“This Christmas, Are You Feeling Lonely?”

Have you ever felt lonely while serving God? Especially during this Christmas season, you may find yourself overwhelmed with endless tasks during the day, and as night falls, as you recline in your bed, if sleep eludes you, have you ever been gripped by a sense of loneliness, forcing yourself to sleep just to escape that fleeting moment of solitude?

As I read the account of Jesus' birth, one character in Luke chapter 2 caught my attention: Anna the prophetess. Her husband died after they had been married for seven years, and she then lived in the temple, worshipping with fasting and prayer night and day. When she met the baby Jesus, she was already 84 years old. Did she ever feel lonely in the temple after all those years of service, considering Luke 2:37 says, "she did not depart from the temple"?

I recently had a meaningful day with my mother-in-law while I was back in Taiwan. We stayed with her, and one Sunday after the worship service, I intentionally suggested having a date with her. Since her mobility is limited, I decided to prepare tea and cake at home while the rest of the family attended to their businesses outside. The two-storied apartment, more than 200 square meters in size, is equivalent to two five-room HDB flats. Can you imagine being confined to this apartment day and night by yourself? Would she feel lonely?

My father-in-law was a pastor, and she had served alongside him for more than half a century. He passed away 10 years ago. My mother-in-law is 88 this year and has openly admitted that she feels lonely. Although she maintains a good discipline of reading the Bible, singing, and praising God when she wakes up, she confessed that she feels lonely. I am so grateful for her honesty.

Being a long-standing Christian and a pastor's wife, she is not afraid to admit that she is lonely, and sometimes this loneliness leads to anxieties and worries about things that shouldn't be a concern, such as whether her children and grandchildren are dressed warmly enough for the changing seasons, whether they have eaten, or whether they are getting enough sleep.

She further shared that perhaps she was too busy serving day and night during those years. Now, as she grows older, gradually losing her mobility and health, yet still alive, it is very tough for her to be still and rest.

As I shared last Sunday before pastoral prayer that we needed to learn how to rest. The Sabbath is God's gracious gift to us when He created us, but we often abuse it by simply following the trend of busyness.

Bell Hooks writes in her book "All about Love", “But many of us seek community solely to escape the fear of being alone. Knowing how to be solitary is central to the art of loving. When we can be alone, we can be with others without using them as a means of escape.”

Are you feeling lonely this Christmas? Come to Jesus and find rest.

In Missional Spirit,

Pastor Forest

19 Dec 2024