WE ARE NOT ALONE

“diyin bahashnee” were the words he taught me.  Ever feel like an outsider? Like you just do not quite fit in? like you are different? This could be a very good thing!  But, it can be depressing and confusing.  God did say it is not good to be alone, although solitude has its time and place also.  But, I am talking about that left-out feeling a believer gets when he thinks the whole world is dark and godliness has become a joke.  For me, sometimes this comes after a mountain top experience, for some odd reason.  Other times, it comes on slow but forcefully, like sliding into a tar pit.

Elijah suffered this after his God-glorifying victory on Mt. Carmel.  ((1Kgs.18)  Hundreds of false prophets had just lost the truth contest.  The false prophets had cried all morning long for their gods to answer them.  They had wailed, screamed, mutilated their bodies – but silence was the only reply they got.  Then Elijah prepared his offering and humbly, but confidently, called out in prayer.  Heaven’s fire consumed the offering to the LORD, the wood on the altar, the altar, the water in the trench around it!   The people immediately acknowledged what their hearts surely already knew -- “When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The LORD—he is God! The LORD—he is God!” (1Kgs.18.39)  The false prophets were put away.

And, yet, in the next chapter we see Elijah dejected and depressed – (19.9) There he went into a cave and spent the night.    And the word of the LORD came to him: “What are you doing here, Elijah?” (10) He replied, “I have been very zealous for the LORD God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, torn down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too.”  After a great show of His power, God comes to Elijah in a small voice.  And he tells him, (19.18) Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel—all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and whose mouths have not kissed him.”

Sometimes I feel like Elijah.  At work, the conversation can get extremely vulgar and ungodly.  Even some churchmen join in the fray, occasionally.  Sometimes I even snicker at the nonsense.  I begin to feel like just Lot whose soul was vexed by his townsmen.  (2Pet.2.6-8)  I find my faith failing and my joy flagging.  I lose sight of the Author and Pioneer (Heb.12.2) and focus on the darkness, losing my way.  Like Peter, I begin to sink into the waves upon which I have focused, instead of the Master, who quells it all with a “Peace, be still”!  (Mk4.39)  Instead of looking up, I look down, and I look back.

Recently, I was having one of those days.  A rough, tattooed, tobacco-spitting, construction worker approached me (I am thinking, where is this going?!) and apologized for any bad language he might have used around me.  His co-worker had informed him that I did his marriage ceremony a few years back.  “I’m sorry; I’m just a construction worker; and, I did not know you were a preacher…”  “Relax, my friend…I’m used to it…” I told him.  

Now get this – the next day he approaches me again, and says, “let me teach you some new words.” (OK, now what?!)  “diyin bahashnee” is written on the corner of a box he has torn off.  He explains – “diyin” = God, and “bahashnee” = praise!!  (in Navajo)  He explains that he has been on 8-9 mission trips to a Navajo reservation.  WE ARE NOT ALONE!  He and I have become good friends, fellow-believers.  When we meet, we smile, knowingly!  God sent him to encourage me in my pity party.  (I kept the box top)

Jesus said that he would not leave us as “orphans” (Jn.14.18) but send his Spirit;  and he promised that he would “always be with us, to the end of the age” (Mt.28.20)  Never forget this.  And a powerful way he reminds a down disciple of this truth, is another believer who comes alongside and lifts him up.  We are not alone.  Look around and be a Barnabas.  Let the Lord use you to help another struggler.  And, “diyin bahashnee”!