To Be Sought, To Be Found
Isaiah 65: 1-9
Key verse
I was ready to be sought out by those who did not ask, to be found by those who did not seek me. I said, “Here I am, here I am,” to a nation that did not call on my name. (Isaiah 65: 1, CEB)
I have read a lot recently about what is being termed the “male loneliness epidemic.” It described the increasing feelings of isolation experienced by men in the United States. While it affects all generations, it seems particularly salient in Millennials and Gen Z. Increased digitalization of life and events like the covid pandemic have strained the ties that bond for everyone. Women tend to be a little better at building and cultivating support systems. And that’s bad for men because loneliness isn’t just associated with poor mental health but it is also associated with higher risk of physical health problems, like heart disease and stroke.
Loneliness has been identified as worse for the risk of premature death than smoking 15 cigarettes a day (Surgeon General’s “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation”, 2023). I don’t know the exact pathways that cause loneliness to be such a risk for poor health outcomes, but as someone who has studied scripture and has been a mental health professional, I also believe that the reason that loneliness is so devastating to our well-being is because it’s not the life God intends for us. God is a relational God who seeks out relationships with us and wants us to be in relationship with one another.
This passage from Isaiah and the key verse reveals that God gets lonely too, especially when God’s creation rejects God. The key verse almost sounds like a scorned lover. It’s not the first time that God’s loneliness is revealed in scripture. In the creation story in Genesis God is excited to create humans in God’s image, not just for the act of creating but for the opportunity for God to lavish love on those whom God has a relationship. No one, not even God, is meant to be alone. In fact, one common belief of Christians is that God created humans so that God wouldn’t be lonely and would have someone to share the love with.
Do you feel lonely? Do you feel alone? I don’t think it’s just men who are feeling lonely. We are all so busy. We are all connected to each other, but often not in intimate, supportive ways. You can have 1000 friends on Facebook and still feel friendless and alone. That’s one of the biggest benefits of being involved in a faith community. You are not alone. You are reminded of God’s love for us through the people in our community that love on us. We feel supported when we know that others are praying for us. We feel like we belong when we are hugged during passing the peace. We feel connected to one another and to God when we come to the table as a community. We are not alone.
Often I ask myself, “What good is the church?” I don’t ask that question out of cynicism or disparaging. I ask it because I genuinely want to know how the church can help in the work of God…to make this the world that God intended. Sometimes the answers from God are clearer than others. However, as I spent the past few days at Epworth for our St. Andrew family retreat, I heard the answer more clearly. The church is good for relationships, with God and with each other. The church community can offer those relationships that seem to be sorely missing for so many. The church can help bring abundant life to those struggling with loneliness and disconnection. That’s what the church is good for.
If you see someone struggling with loneliness and feeling disconnected, maybe inviting them into the relationships you have found through the church will transform their lives.
That is helping to do the work of God. Because God wants to be in relationship with all of us, and every single one of us needs that relationship. That’s the abundant life.
Prayer
Loving God, thank you for the gift of life and connection to you and to others. Help us to live in a way that we are in right relationships with you and all of creation. Empower us to reach out to those who need to feel a sense of belonging and connection. May we all experience the abundant life that follows a right relationship with you. Amen.
Rev. Dana Ezell
