Isolation

[toad]

“Nature goes her way, and all that to us seems an exception is really according to order.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24 NAS)

These words spoken by Jesus and recorded by the apostle John were in reference to the death and resurrection of Jesus Himself. Their meaning has a much broader understand than just His trip to the cross and His victory over death. The literal meaning in referring to a seed, its germination and the fruit, stand true in science. Also in our lives at times we must completely die out to something before we can grow and produce fruit. This morning as I read this scripture verse it wasn’t the thought of dying out or the thought of rebirth that stuck in my spirit, but the words “it remains alone.” Remaining alone is another way of describing the spiritual sickness called isolation. Isolation can become very comfortable and I had to work at overcoming this self-centered defect of character. I remember a time in 1991 when I was trying to say sober and drug free on my own, and my wife was not. Life was not good for either of us and she left me and moved to town. I was hurt and just didn’t feel like talking to many people. I can remember that when I would return home from work I would lock the gate and just sit and sulk. I would not die out and accept the fact that things in my life had changed. This was the start of my periods of isolation that went on for the next five years. There were times I would lock my gate and not see or talk to anyone for days. The result was no growth, none whatsoever. As a matter of fact any progress that I had made in the eight years before as a believing Christian faded away in my isolation. I was like a seed that was buried in the ground that refused to let its hard outer shell be softened by the rain of everyday life. Old hard-hearted Jerry just sat there and suffered with my drugs and alcohol. They had become my everyday companions. Ah but God. God never gives up on any of us. From time to time someone would enter into my isolation and with a hammer of love, chip away at my hard outer shell. As little pieces of self were chipped away they would die. Today I am a new living being rooted in the Word of God, and watered by the love of those who help me not be isolated. Even in my times of solitude I am not alone anymore. I enter into solitude with the presence and comfort of God in my heart. I don’t want to go back to being alone. How selfish that is! Share with me what the Dake Bible has to say on this verse.

“Many elements of mystery surround the death and resurrection of any seed. We believe a dead grain multiplies itself and we are nourished by its multiplications, but we cannot understand how it is done. We cannot tell how one grain becomes multiplied into many, how the earth, air, water, and sunshine co-operate together to create a new life. We believe it, not because we understand it, but because it produces results. If we cannot explain and fully understand these earthly things of one little seed why do we have to understand the infinite purposes and works of God in redeeming men through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ before we believe?” (Dake Bible, page 109)

Today may we, by the grace of God, grow, and help someone else in the process. God has truly done for me what I could not do for myself……………..JRE

[cmc]

Toad,
I love this idea and it reminds me of water baptism- where the 'good,bad and ugly' in us is buried and we are renewed ready for a new start. I have been baptized a couple times- the first was in obedience to the Word of God, and the others were more symbolic and had great meaning as a redication to Him and a burial of things past.
If a seed is viable it can grow once planted- a dead seed will rot and reap nothing but more chemicals in the soil.
I am understanding this scripture in a new way;in that if I give what is alive in me to be buried, given over in surrender to God, then this can produce growth. It may be I will lose a bad habit or character flaw as when the seed hull decays before sprouting. Yet what is good and pleasing to God in me will increase. (Hey! It's dark under the topsoil, I can't see!!!) Nature is amazing- a reflection of God's truth.

[toad]

[quote=cmc]I am understanding this scripture in a new way;in that if I give what is alive in me to be buried, given over in surrender to God, then this can produce growth. It may be I will lose a bad habit or character flaw as when the seed hull decays before sprouting.[quote]


"If I give what is alive in me to be burried..........this can produce growth."

Excelent..............thanks for sharing Cmc............toad

[cmc]

As a matter of fact any progress that I had made in the eight years before as a believing Christian faded away in my isolation.

If I had a nickel for every time I have heard how detrimental being isolated
can become..... it would add up to a sizable amount of money.

Today I am a new living being rooted in the Word of God, and watered by the love of those who help me not be isolated.

Tonight as I re- read this thread full of such hope I am impressed once more to realize how much we need each other. I was thinking today about how we as Christians are referred to as the Body of Christ- members of a body will not thrive, grow or function independently of one another.
I encourage all who are in isolation to reach out to fellow believers and friends. Like they say in the 'room's it is a 'we' program that works.

[best]

Originally Posted by cmc

Tonight as I re- read this thread full of such hope I am impressed once more to realize how much we need each other. I was thinking today about how we as Christians are referred to as the Body of Christ- members of a body will not thrive, grow or function independently of one another.
I encourage all who are in isolation to reach out to fellow believers and friends. Like they say in the 'room's it is a 'we' program that works.

Iron sharpens Iron.

[gmadison]

Originally Posted by toad

“Nature goes her way, and all that to us seems an exception is really according to order.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” (John 12:24 NAS)

These words spoken by Jesus and recorded by the apostle John were in reference to the death and resurrection of Jesus Himself. Their meaning has a much broader understand than just His trip to the cross and His victory over death. The literal meaning in referring to a seed, its germination and the fruit, stand true in science. Also in our lives at times we must completely die out to something before we can grow and produce fruit. This morning as I read this scripture verse it wasn’t the thought of dying out or the thought of rebirth that stuck in my spirit, but the words “it remains alone.” Remaining alone is another way of describing the spiritual sickness called isolation. Isolation can become very comfortable and I had to work at overcoming this self-centered defect of character. I remember a time in 1991 when I was trying to say sober and drug free on my own, and my wife was not. Life was not good for either of us and she left me and moved to town. I was hurt and just didn’t feel like talking to many people. I can remember that when I would return home from work I would lock the gate and just sit and sulk. I would not die out and accept the fact that things in my life had changed. This was the start of my periods of isolation that went on for the next five years. There were times I would lock my gate and not see or talk to anyone for days. The result was no growth, none whatsoever. As a matter of fact any progress that I had made in the eight years before as a believing Christian faded away in my isolation. I was like a seed that was buried in the ground that refused to let its hard outer shell be softened by the rain of everyday life. Old hard-hearted Jerry just sat there and suffered with my drugs and alcohol. They had become my everyday companions. Ah but God. God never gives up on any of us. From time to time someone would enter into my isolation and with a hammer of love, chip away at my hard outer shell. As little pieces of self were chipped away they would die. Today I am a new living being rooted in the Word of God, and watered by the love of those who help me not be isolated. Even in my times of solitude I am not alone anymore. I enter into solitude with the presence and comfort of God in my heart. I don’t want to go back to being alone. How selfish that is! Share with me what the Dake Bible has to say on this verse.

“Many elements of mystery surround the death and resurrection of any seed. We believe a dead grain multiplies itself and we are nourished by its multiplications, but we cannot understand how it is done. We cannot tell how one grain becomes multiplied into many, how the earth, air, water, and sunshine co-operate together to create a new life. We believe it, not because we understand it, but because it produces results. If we cannot explain and fully understand these earthly things of one little seed why do we have to understand the infinite purposes and works of God in redeeming men through the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ before we believe?” (Dake Bible, page 109)

Today may we, by the grace of God, grow, and help someone else in the process. God has truly done for me what I could not do for myself……………..JRE

I believe that at the root of our addiction is a lack of intimacy with God and others. I agree with a piece of writiing that I read some time ago which explained by forsaking our relationship with others we settle for idols.