KEVVVVIIIINNNNN!!!
If you’ve ever watched the 1990 movie Home Alone, you remember the scene. 8-year-old Kevin, whose conniving attitude garnered bullying from his siblings, was inadvertently left at home as his family left for their Christmas vacation to Paris. His mother, after a frantic morning trying to make sure her family made it on board their flight, failed to realize that one of her brood was missing. When the chaos finally subsided, the reality hit her: Kevin was still at home. Her shrill scream was audible even from an altitude of 20,000 feet.
Kevin, after the initial shock of realizing he was alone, decided it was a pretty cool turn of events. What 8-year-old kid wouldn’t enjoy living for a while devoid of parental rules?
Life was great for Keven. That is, until a couple of thieves targeted his house and it was up to him to thwart their attempts. Alone.
As we might expect, the boy successfully thwarts the bumbling attempts of the less-than-intelligent perpetrators.
Maybe you’ve felt like Kevin. Alone and distressed. The only possible means of help is a creepy neighbor.
Your enemy may be more dangerous than a couple of clumsy criminals. Your enemy may be persecution, discouragement, or depression. Unlike Kevin, you cannot thwart the enemy using slick tricks and booby traps.
If there was only someone who could help.
If that describes you, then you have to hear what Jesus said to the church in Smyrna. He introduced Himself as “the first and the last, who was dead, and come to life.” He wanted them to know right off that He understood what it is like to suffer unto death. He has been there, done that, and bought the t-shirt (OK, maybe a robe). They may feel alone in their suffering, but they had good company: Jesus Himself.
You may occasionally feel that you are “home alone.” You might want to quit. But don’t despair: you’re not really alone. Jesus, the first and the last, is in there with you. He’s walked this path before and He knows the way out. Just walk with Him, and together you’ll make it out the other side.
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