Why You Feel Alone
June 14, 2026Pastor Patrick presented today's message, "Why You Feel Alone." A video of today's message is here on YouTube. It may help to be familiar with the message but that is not required to enjoy the thoughts below.
This was the second message in a summer series on the Jehovah names of God. Today's name was Jehovah Shammah (God is Present).
Pastor Patrick mentioned one of the theological "omni words" in explaining what this name tells us about the nature of God - omnipresence. He's always everywhere. This includes being with you always from which you can benefit greatly if you let Him.
There are two other "omni words": omnipotence and omniscience. Omni, from the Latin, means "all," so these three omni words can be defined as all-powerful (omnipotence), all-knowing (omniscience), and in all places (omnipresence). "Omnipotence means that God is in total control of himself and his creation. Omniscience means that he is the ultimate criterion of truth and falsity, so that his ideas are always true. Omnipresence means that since God's power and knowledge extend to all parts of his creation, he himself is present everywhere. Together they define God's lordship, and they yield a rich understanding of creation, providence, and salvation." (from thegospelcoalition.org).
Some writers include a fourth omni: omnibenevolence (perfectly good and loving).
And still others add a fifth: God's creative power. "Omnificence is the divine attribute of being able to create all things. While sometimes considered a subset of omnipotence, omnificence specifically highlights God's limitless creativity and generative power. God is seen as the ultimate Creator, the source from which everything that exists has come into being." (bibleanalysis.org)
And don't forget... All three persons of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) manifest all the omni attributes.
Bonus
The Lost Sheep
We've had lots of dogs over the years. The dog we happen to have now is an Old English Sheepdog (OES). We've had several OESs over the years and just love them to death. As the breed name suggests, sheepdogs are herders. When the kids were quite young, we'd often find them and some friends playing in a tight group in the middle of our street. Unbeknownst to the kids, they had been herded into a tight group by the "playful" sheepdog. By the way, sheepdogs are also "velcro" dogs - they love to stick close to their peeps.
Recently we learned that there are two different basic kinds of herding dogs: drivers and drovers. There are also heading dogs (keep the proper direction for the herd) and heeling dogs ("pushing" from the rear to keep the group moving). Then there are drovers which keep an eye out for strays and get them back in the group. Sheepdogs are drovers. Actually, these terms (herding, heeling, driver, drover) are a bit confusing with a great deal of overlap. The most basic definitions I read were that drivers drive a vehicle or something that can move goods and drovers drive animals (as in herding).
The article I read, The Drover - the Forgotten Sheepdog, linked the sheepdog's behaviour to the parable of the lost sheep (Luke 15:3-7). "Then Jesus told them this parable: 'Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent."
So, try to be a sheepdog - bring the lost ones back into the fold.
