I am Adam.
I am Adam. I look about in all directions in my garden called Eden, and at the distant horizons, with total awe and fascination. It’s called Eden meaning ‘a place of delight.’ Everything here is new and perfect, glowing with life. How good is God to have put the entire world he made at my feet, as a gift!
And I love what I do. I’ve never been so busy, managing and working my unlimited acreage to farm and live off the land. The land is completely fertile. Whatever I plant thrives. Harvest times overflow. There is no lack or fear of lack.
And then there’s all the extraordinary array of animals that God sends to me to name and care for. They know I am in charge and respect me as their head. I love seeing wild animals hang out with each other.
And then the best of all is I get to walk with my creator and father every day in my garden and share ideas. It’s an amazing life!
I know the reality of God’s word
God’s word says in Genesis chapter one says, “I give you (Adam) every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth … They will be yours for food….31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.”
Genesis chapter two says,
“The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it.” ….”So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds … all the wild animals.”
Genesis chapter 3 says, “… the Lord God …was walking in the garden in the cool of the day.”
I am Adam and I am happy. What else could I want in life?
Do you feel a lingering sense of loneliness?
Interestingly, despite having everything there was one thing that was missing. It is something all of us can relate to.
God told Adam, “It is not good for man to be alone.”
Despite having all the animals, and perhaps many as pets. God knew he needed a companion. God himself lives in community, having said “let us make man in our image,” he designed man in his image to also need community. We were never designed to be like an island.
Friends, who has been challenged by the covid-crisis and all the social distancing. You can’t see your family or friend; areas are inaccessible?! You are getting zoom-fatigue?! Masking up makes you feel muzzled. You speak and relate less. You feel terribly lonely. It’s distressing.
The truth is even prior to the virus pandemic there was a loneliness pandemic! Many people live alone. We change jobs, locations and we end up lonely. We end relationships at times, not the way we planned; loneliness grows. What can we do to live during lockdown while beating loneliness?
Lockdown and beating loneliness.
I would like to suggest a few things can help keep our relational tanks full.
We have more friends when we make effort to be a friend. I know it’s easy to wait for a call. But, sometimes they don’t come or not enough. People are quite preoccupied getting on top of things, due to many unsettling circumstances. Why not be a person that makes a call today. Be a friend; start by cultivating a friendly heart.
Now is a good time to call friends, and not because we need something. I called someone last week and they said, “I really needed that call. I was saying to God, are you there? Speak to me. Why is no one calling?” I called just at the right time. They had run out of patience and were on the brink of giving up on God and community. I happened to have a word of prophecy. The call really hit the spot! Make a call.
Having friends is like investment. The more you invest the more the returns. But, material investments and returns will never be enough. We recall, for Adam, the first man, the whole world was not enough. He needed companionship.
You need not be lonely tonight
Elvis Presley sang, “Are you lonely tonight.” It’s possible to listen to that song and feel sorry for ourselves, especially if our relationships have failed or we feel alone. But, let us walk with God who wants to restore our Eden-experience in his presence.
God provides a cure for loneliness
Till your land. As Christians we are members of the body of Christ. Members of a body in the natural are totally interdependent. So are we. Be planted and take root in a local church. Find your calling and purpose and bear fruits in your fellowship. Look to God and seek him to spread to those distant horizons!
Be like a branch connected to Jesus, the vine. Being connected means sitting under the anointed teaching of God’s word until it remains in us, and activates our call and identity in Christ. The believers were first called Christians in Antioch the bible says in Acts, where Paul and Barnabus taught the church for a whole year. We will know the reality of God’s word.
God wants to walk with us and make our lives an Eden. He can fill every void in our hearts. Married or single, living with others or alone in lock down, all of us will at times lack intimacy. In Christ, the ‘the last Adam,’ we can walk in intimacy and see provision from our father.
Jesus said, “I am not alone, for my father is with me.” God wants us to have an amazing life!