I’m Lonely

One of my favorite artists, Edward Hopper, was known for capturing the stark reality of human isolation in many of his paintings. It was a feeling that resonated with Hopper's original audience in the early-to-mid 20th century, but his work has aged well because we are still a lonely bunch.

His portrayals of individuals sitting in a café deep in thought or on the train reading the paper show the irony of being surrounded by people yet completely alone. Go to any public area today and you’ll see everyone hunched over their phones. We can be connected to the world through our phones, surrounded by people right in front of us, and yet feel so lonely.

But when God said to Adam that it was not good to be alone, he was not simply referring to marriage but about the desire in every human being for deep, meaningful relationships.

Over the past six to eight months, a common theme has come up in many of my conversations with folks at St. Martin’s and in my life in general. People are lonely. Many people I chat with desire a deeper sense of community with their peers, especially those who call St. Martin’s home.

Some of the folks I’ve talked to are caught in a stage of life that the church has historically not been good at caring for: namely single adults. Many times, they feel left out or left behind. Married people are not immune to feeling isolated, but I recognize we have moms’ groups and dads’ groups that offer a community for parents. However, it also clearly states in the name who can attend and who is left out.

I’ve had conversations with several people here about a 40s ministry, a divorced support group, widows’ groups and a college ministry. Honestly, the sky is the limit and yet, the laborers (and hours) are few.

We have work to do, but let’s do it together. The church is called to be a place of reconciliation, restoration and renewal for all people. The church is to be a Community of Delight — and our delight comes solely from the God who brought about our salvation from the cross and the grave. We can rally around a Savior who loves us and calls us — collectively — to be His flock. Though we are many, we are one in Christ. Now, let’s live into that calling!