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Alone
In 1959, the movie "On the Beach" was released. The plot was based on the fictional scenario that a nuclear war had taken place and that the fallout had already killed most of the world's population. The only survivors left lived in Australia, and they were waiting for their inevitable death as the fallout made its way there.
The story was heart wrenching, but what I remember the most was the feeling I was left with: the feeling of utter complete aloneness. Four scenes in the movie depicted this. Three of the same scene were revealed at three different times during the movie. The first instance early in the movie. Centered in the town square of the city where the story took place. A large crowd was gathered around a Salvation Army band as they played their music and then preached. Some people carried signs stating, "Repent - the end is near."
In the middle of the movie, the same scene was the focus: Same square, same music, etc. but only about half the number of people were milling about. Many had already become ill and died. As the plot was winding down, the very last scene was of the town square. No living thing was about: no people, no animals, no noise, just the wind blowing trash and leaves about. Knowing these had been the last people alive on the planet earth and that now they were also gone was devastating.
Everyone involved in the production of this movie --the writers, directors, actors--truly did a magnificent job of depicting a world without life. It was so powerful that 60 years later, I still get that same sensation of total emptiness: a world void of life, sterile.
This has caused me to reflect on life-which without Christ can seem like a solitary venture. Many events of life, we must face alone-even death-no one can do those things for us. Though we are all individual beings, we were made to be in fellowship with God and with others. This is God's design. Sin separates us from God, and many times destroys our relationships with others, as well. We are alone. Without contact with other living beings, life would hold no meaning, and we would perish in utter loneliness.
Can you imagine if you were the only person left on the face of the earth with no one to love you and no one to love? What would it be like to have no one to talk with, cry with, or even argue with? Totally alone! Just thinking of it depresses me beyond imagination as it leaves me with a terrible sense of hopelessness.
Then my mind wandered to Jesus as He hung on the cross. His only sense of strength came from His Father. Jesus had suffered it all to please God the Father, accepting the fact that He was the only sacrifice pure enough to atone for the sins of men. Jesus suffered pain and degradation for us. He took the sins of the world upon Himself on our behalf, and, because of this, God the Father had to turn His face away from His beloved Son. The sense of aloneness poured over Jesus as a living being. The loneliness ate away at His purpose for coming to die for us. His heart broke as He called out to His Father in utter agony of soul, "My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?" (Matt.27:46, Mark 15:34, NIV). He then gave up His Spirit and died, ALONE.
Jesus took all sin and sense of aloneness to the grave with Him. On the third day, He victoriously rose again to life everlasting with the Father. He promises to never leave us nor forsake us (Duet. 31:6 , NIV). In addition, He has made a way for us, so that we too someday will rise from the dead and never be alone again, for we will be one with Him forever in heaven for all eternity.
Copyright © 2008-2015 Sylvia Hensel
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