I have always needed my alone time.  It helps me clear my head and think, but this is almost too much.  I don’t mind being alone… my husband is still here, but not.  It is the staying in that bothers me.  The not going out and hopping in the car to run errands.  Not going to a restaurant -somehow eating food from a carry out box is just not the same as sitting down and being waited on by the waitstaff.  That’s okay for pizza, but not for other meals.  I know that I will have to face no driving in the future, but it’s too soon. (I’m sure whenever that happens it will still be too soon!). To pass the time, I have cleaned the pantry and thrown away expired food. That was a lesson in itself. How could I have food that expired 3 years ago? That’s just wasteful!  I have done laundry and caught up, but that task is never ending. I only have so many pairs of pajamas! And how in the world do we know what day it is when every day is the same?  The “no church gathering” is abhorrent to me.  How can church be closed?  It can’t! We keep on being the church.  That is the one positive in all of this.  We can be the church; we can take it with us wherever we go. I was even nice to a telemarketer the other day, but I still miss the gathering!!

Jesus had his alone times:

At once the Spirit sent him out into the desert, and he was in the desert forty days, being tempted by Satan.  Mark 1:35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 

Mark 1:12

After he had dismissed the crowd, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray.  

Matthew 14:23

Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.  Then he said to them,” My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Could you not keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”  He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away, unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. So, he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time saying the same thing.

Matthew 26:36-44

In all these times Jesus was not alone but was with God. So, it is with us.

Lord, we are going through difficult times, there is disease tearing through our land. May we know that though we are isolated we are never alone that you are near. Be with us, heal our world. Be with those who fight this every day in their work; the medical personnel, the first responders, the people who work so we can still buy the necessities of life, those who reach out to help. Be with our country Lord that we may become kinder with each other. Be with our Pastor and his family, bless his ministry and keep them all safe. Be with our staff and leaders, keep them safe.  Be with those who are suffering loss and are grieving. Be with those who are fearful, give them strength, be with those who are ill, heal them, be with those who are hurting, may they feel your comfort. All these things we pray in Jesus name. Amen

Grace Epperson