March 18, 2020
“Then the Lord God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.’” – Genesis 2:18
If you were to pick up your Bible and read it for the very first time, not knowing any of the story, then it would be shocking when you came across Genesis 2:18. Up to this point you have been reading the creation story. God is quickly and powerfully speaking everything into existence, from the roaring sea to the tiny songbird. And each time he speaks, the creation event is capped off with the words, “it was good.” Then comes God’s crowning achievement, the piece of creation that he breathes his very breath into – mankind. But then, for the very first time in the story, the Bible tells us, “it is not good.” What is not good? What part of this creation is incomplete? It is not good for man to be alone. It is important that the story reads this way. God could have simply created two people at the same time and skipped this whole scene. But the Scripture is making a very vivid point: we are not meant to be alone. God himself exists as a trinity; three persons in One. So, as we are made in his image, we are designed to need one another.
This is an important truth to remember amid the COVID-19 crisis that our world is currently facing. We are encouraged to keep our distance from one another. Many of us, out of fear, may be tempted to isolate ourselves completely. This is not healthy. We live in an amazing time when you do not have to be standing next to someone in order to fellowship. There is a myriad of ways to communicate. You can text, be face-to-face over a computer, or just make a good old-fashioned phone call. Also, as we are encouraged to keep our meetings small and our interactions limited, we need to remember that, for most of us, social distancing does not mean complete isolation. You can still walk across the street and say hi to your neighbor. You can still meet a friend at the park and go for a walk. During the most difficult times our enemy the devil loves to isolate us from one another in order to keep us discouraged and depressed. Don’t fall into his trap. Be intentional and creative in order to find ways to be an encouragement to your brothers and sisters and the light of Christ to a lost and frightened world. It is not good for man to be alone!
Powerful and Sovereign God over all creation, You love us intimately and you empower us to love one another with that same love. Give us the wisdom, motivation, and opportunity to continue caring for one another. Keep us from facing this trial alone.
In Christ’s Service,
Pastor Shane Cannon
