​ALL THE LONELY PEOPLE WHERE DO THEY ALL COME FROM? 

The 1966 Beatles song Eleanor Rigby tells the story of two lonely people; Eleanor Rigby and Father McKenzie and contains the famous line “All the lonely people, where do they all come from?” Paul McCartney, in an interview in GQ magazine in 2018 said that when he was young, he sat listening to the stories of elderly ladies as they talked about their experiences during World War 2. One of these ladies he used to help with her shopping as she could not get out of her house and he was struck by how lonely she was, He said; “over the years I’ve met a couple of others and maybe the loneliness made me empathise with them.” He continued; “Eleanor Rigby was like writing a short story and it was basically on these old ladies I had known as a kid.”

I have learnt over the years that loneliness is not the absence of people, it is the absence of intimacy. Loneliness does not come from being alone but from feeling alone; feeling as if you are facing things alone. Feeling that you are facing the day alone, facing Illness alone, facing the future alone and facing death alone. Whether it comes when you are alone at home or in a crowd, loneliness cries out, “I feel alone,” and comes with this question; “Does anyone care?”

The good news is that God does not want us to be alone. He left the Throne room to be with us; Emmanuel-God with us (Isaiah 7:14) The Throne room was opened, and God came to us. He offers to be our travelling companion throughout this life. When we put our trust in Him His promise is that we will know a fullness of life with Him that will transcend death into eternity. (John 10:10)

One of the wonderful truths of scripture we can discover is the Lord is with us. (Psalm 23:4) That truth and revelation changes everything for us. You may be facing difficulties, but you are not facing them alone. You may be experiencing ill health, but you are not facing these issues alone.

You may be facing an uncertain future, but you are not facing it alone. Even when you are facing death, you are not alone. When fear comes, raises its head, and tells you that you will face the rest of your days alone you can turn to God and proclaim the truth of Psalm 23:4; “You are with me.” And as you do so, you will find that God answers that question; “Does anyone care?” He is the one who is with you and the one who cares for you more than you realise.

Allow God to wrap His arms of love around you, when you do it changes everything and you will then make a second discovery; God’s love is perfect and “perfect love casts out all fear.” (1 John 4:18 NKJV.) The fear of being alone will go and you will be able to walk in a close and intimate relationship with God himself walking with you in every situation of life. Each day you can turn to Him and declare; “You are with me!”

Keith Saynor Pastor
1st July 2026