“… By Yourself”

THURS., APR. 14, 1988, 7:09 AM
FARM, STUDY

“You have to walk this lonesome valley. You have to walk it by yourself…” The truth in the words of this song shall be My theme this morning. The other words that you saw are related and also will be addressed. You are alone on your place for awhile, so there is some application.

One of the truths of the Christian faith is just this: each individual must come “alone” to the throne. Each is on a slightly different path, and relationships with Me are quite unique. And, at times, it seems like a “lonesome valley.” Each person who prays gets a slightly different answer, and answers to prayer are perceived in quite different ways. On Sunday you shall offer prayers for those in the congregation to hear and join in. If you could ask different individuals who hear these to interpret them, you would see the diversity.

You are a Presbyterian, and you know that I have called you to be thus in this portion of your life. Yet you are a “lonely Presbyterian,” for few folks in your church see this life of the spirit just the way you do. You feel compelled to “hide” some of your understandings, and as you read certain passages of Holy Scripture you find them not relevant to your understandings. This is a true lonesome feeling.

There is truth in your being an individual soul, even as you have had a number of manifestations. In this earth life you are not offered the opportunity of knowing and remembering these other manifestations of self. You have grown in spirit, but you’re not sure how. There is a loneliness in being thus removed and isolated.

This is truth. “Nobody else can walk it for you. You have to walk it by yourself.” Yet there is a complementary truth – that in that lonesome valley I am with you, and though no one else can walk it for you, others can walk it with you. Each path is unique, but many run parallel with others… or cross others, and, for a time, become quite similar.

There is a fellowship with many in your church that is genuine, even as beliefs are somewhat different. There is fellowship with many who read your Ruminations that crosses many denominational and faith lines. There is an interesting kind of fellowship in not knowing, for sure, what others believe, but acting as though you are at least compatible. The human soul, in health, dislikes loneliness and devises ways of substituting fellowship for feelings of aloneness. And of this I approve.

You see the complementary truths that you have voiced before: you have to walk this lonesome valley… by yourself and no man is an island… no man stands alone… and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end. It isn’t one or the other, it is both, even as they seem incompatible.

An aspect of Lenore’s spirit remains there, even as she is now physically far removed. You continue to walk together, even as you are apart. You reach out to many others, and you know that many reach out to you. When you touch you are not alone. Even if you don’t quite touch there is a definite buffering to the walk in a lonesome valley.

I continue to urge you to write notes and letters. Often these are means of helping another along a hard place in her path… words that communicate fellowship. Don’t wait for “just the right words”. Be one who reaches out, for this, in itself, is a counter to lonesomeness.