Australians are experiencing a loneliness epidemic. Despite being more connected than ever before, we have never felt more socially isolated.
We are living in closer proximity to our neighbours, are connected through facebook, instagram, Twitter..and yet all these things don’t even begin to scratch the surface in our longing to connect. We long to be in relationship with others.
This longing exists because we are created to be in community with others. We didn’t invent this idea because it’s good for society; God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit exist in perfect community for all of eternity. We are created in His image and are image bearers of a relational God.
God didn’t create us because He was lonely or because He was lacking anything, He is entirely satisfied within the Godhead. God created us to reflect His image and bear His glory.
We are relational and communal people by nature. Throughout the story of creation in Genesis 1, we are repeatedly told of God seeing His creation and that it was good.
“(v4) And God saw that the light was good… (v10) And God saw that it was good… (v31) And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good.”
In Genesis 2:18, God sees something which is not good, Adam to be alone.
“It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.”
Adam could not reflect the relational nature of God on his own. Adam was incomplete and without community and relationships, so are we.
The Gospel gives us hope of refuge from the loneliness epidemic, it gives us the promise of reconciliation. We can cling to God’s promise of being reconciled to Himself, and to each other.