Kassiquan

 ALONE: NOT BY CHOICE

 

When I visit my Aunt, I look forward to attending Grace Community Church in Herndon, Pennsylvania.  At other times, I am attending a church close to my home in North Jersey.  However, since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, church attendance is mostly online via the Internet on Facebook or on YouTube.  Although I may be connected to Grace Community Church on Sundays attending via YouTube, it is just not the same as “being there.”  The interaction and fellowship with other believers as yourself brings a warm family feeling when everyone is together in worship in one place; you feel connected.  For most people it is no fun attending church virtually when you feel disconnected: “alone, not by choice.”  During the time of this COVID-19 pandemic, many people are forced to stay home and be safe and many may not even have the means to attend church virtually.  With winter imminent and the possibility that many places in our country might again be “shut down,” does not help one to feel connected or lift one’s spirit.   There will be people who again will find themselves “alone, not by choice.”

This brings me to putting into words my contemplations on the points made by Pastor Douglas Weygand of Grace Community Church on Sunday, November 22, 2020 in keeping with the sermon series on Dry Bones Dancing.  Pastor Doug’s sermon was on “How Close Do You Wish to Get” highlighting the life of a woman and her brief encounter with Jesus (Mark 5:21-34; Luke 8:40-44).  Pastor Doug highlighted these four major points regarding this woman who was suffering a medical crisis that lasted 12 years resulting in her being “alone: not by choice.”

1.       Physical Issue – the woman, whose name is never mentioned suffered a medical crisis for 12 years; her menstruation cycle had not stopped and she continued to hemorrhage.  The woman spent all the money she had on doctors and physicians and could not be cured.  Mark and Luke state that her condition got worse.

2.       Social/ Cultural Issues – the woman, according to Jewish Law was considered “unclean” (Leviticus 15:19-27).  This meant that during a normal menstruation cycle, a woman, her bedding and clothing worn would be unclean, including anyone who touched a woman, her bedding and clothing. No one would go near a woman during her menstruation cycle.  However, this woman mentioned in Mark & Luke was unclean for 12 years of her life, socially disconnected from others.

3.       Spiritual Issue – for 12 years, the woman was not able to travel to the temple together with her neighbors or friends to pray and worship God.  Being unclean, the woman was not allowed to enter the temple.  Imagine, 12 years not being able to go to “church” because of being unclean and not allowed to be near members of the congregation.  She was not able to worship on the Day of Atonement, an important religious observance.

4.       Emotional/ Mental Issues – isolated, staying home, no interaction with family, friends or neighbors can take a toll on one’s feelings and emotions.  The woman may know she is loved and cared about by those she knows but the touch, the warmth and companionship is limited.  The woman would find herself feeling lonely and alone on many occasions, especially during feast day celebrations like Hanukkah and Passover.  Living 12 years with her health condition depriving her of meeting her spiritual needs, meeting her social and cultural needs, her emotional needs of human interactions plays on one’s mental status.  The woman was at her breaking point; she was lonely, “alone: not by choice.”

 We can imagine, which is not difficult to do, that this woman was feeling helpless and losing all hope.  Physicians could do nothing, finances were gone and probably her valuables were sold to pay off debts, limited social and emotional interaction, no spiritual growth or fulfillment and no answers to 12 years of praying she may have thought she had nothing left for which to give and live.  There are many people in this world today that have felt like this woman, “alone: not by choice.”

With every ounce of strength this woman had left from years of suffering, she heard Jesus was nearby.  She heard of his healing miracles but how would she get close enough to see him knowing she was unclean and unable to be around a pressing crowd to which the law dictated she stay at home staring at four walls. With faith as a mustard seed, she crawled on her knees through the pressure crowd inching towards hope, towards life and towards freedom that she knew could be hers.  “If only I may touch his garment, I shall be made well,” the woman said to herself.  The woman crawled as close as she could just barely touching the border/ hem of Jesus’ robe and his power flowed through her setting her free (Luke 8: 43-45). Being confronted, the woman heard Jesus say, “Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well” (Matthew 9:22).   The woman went home healed, restored and renewed; no longer “alone; but with purpose!

This Thanksgiving was a challenge for many.  Loved ones in hospitals suffering with COVID “alone: not by choice.”  Families lost loved ones who died from COVID, “alone: not by choice.”  Some families heeding the recommendations of staying home and staying safe leaving loved ones celebrating Thanksgiving “alone: not by choice.”  In the past eight months families lost jobs, faced limits on daily activities, were unable to travel and suffered mentally and emotionally.  Hopelessness and fear were companions to many.  COVID cases may spike and peak in the coming months cause many to feel “alone: not by choice,” but there is hope.  Yes, vaccines are on their way which may provide some hope but, like the woman, we can put all our hope in Jesus (Psalm 146:5-7).