In the beginning, God never intended mankind to be alone. After Adam gave names to the animals that God made, he quickly realized there was not a match for him. While the birds of the air and the cattle of the field had mates, Adam did not. This was not an oversight on God’s part, He didn’t look at Adam and think “what did I forget to do?” This was all part of the plan, “And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him” (Genesis 2:18). Adam needed to learn that he needed someone to lean on, someone to share his life with, someone that was a helper comparable to him. 

I’ve heard people say that they would be perfectly happy if they could go through their entire life not talking to another person…to live in total isolation! While we may have those feelings while we are being aggravated by coworkers or the kids, the reality is that we are not meant to be alone. We need family, friends, and a church that we can lean on in the difficult times in our life.

The early church understood the need to be together, and just not during the times of worship, “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need. So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart” (Acts 2:42-46). 

Friends may be fickle in this life. Family may forsake us. But the family of God, the church, is a place of refuge; it is a place where we can find encouragement, love, and sometimes correction. We have the same mind and same judgement (1 Corinthians 1:10) and that connection comes through our individual relationship to the Lord (1 John 1:1-4). We all need each other in this life, it’s too difficult to go it alone.

You can always lean on me. 

By: Justin Odom