The Echo of Connection: Finding Life Where We Are

     

    You know, the other day I was just thinking about how things change when they're...connected. Like, when you plug in your phone that has lost all its juice. One moment it is just a very expensive paper weight. Unable to take calls or send them, even the spam calls can't get to you ( on second thought that don't sound to bad) Yet when you plug that phone into the charger; Suddenly, it's not just a dead piece of tech anymore. It's alive, buzzing with information, possibilities. You are able to connect to others, and others can connect to you. 

    This got me thinking about how that plays out in our lives, not just with gadgets, but with everything. We crave connection, don't we? To people, to ideas, to something bigger than ourselves. We were built for connection. Science has shown time and again how we all need to be connected. As God has said it is not good for man to be alone (Gen 2:10). Even the most introverted person needs some sort of connection with the outside world. 

    This is not only true about the phiscial connections but it even more true about our spiritual connections with God. Remember that "abiding" thing Jesus talks about in John 15:7. "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." Jesus is telling us we need that connection with Him. 

    Jesus tells us to "Abide in me..." That is not just a casual "hello," is it?  To abide is to be continually connected with Jesus. Like the root of a plant is connected to a stem giving life to the flower allowing it to bloom. Abiding in Christ is exactly like that. It's about really being present, having a real and intimate relationship with Jesus in our daily lives. Not a casual encounter from time to time.  It's about that constant, underlying connection with the savior on a daily basis. As Andrew Murray said, "Abiding in Christ means resting in His love, trusting in His power, and obeying His word." It is a constant reliant connection. To cut ourselves off from the presence of Christ is like cutting a flower from its stem. 

    Jesus continues to dive deeper in what it means to abide in Him. He says "My words abide in you..." That's about letting Scripture shape us, transforming us.  Not just reading words, but letting them sink in, resonate, and change how we think and act. As Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." It's a living, breathing thing that connects us.  

Think about it, you can obtain all sorts of information on a particular topic, lets say mechanics. You can study books, look at YouTube video's and learn everything you need to know about being a mechanic. Yet it does you no good if you never get your hands dirty and actually work on your car. In the same way you can read scripture, but you need to allow the scripture to be lived out. 

    Jesus not only tells us what it means to Abide in Him but he shows us the blessings of this connection that we have. He says "Ask whatever you wish..." That's the beautiful part. When we're truly connected, our desires start to align with His. Our prayers become more like a natural conversation, a flowing expression of that connection. It's like, think of a radio tower. When we are tuned to the right frequency we can hear the broadcast. But if we are off by even a small margin, we hear only static. There are far to many Christians who's life is filled with static all because they fail to be tuned into the Savior.  Jesus is our tower, the source of the clear signal, and our hearts are the radios that need to be tuned to him.

   If I am going to be honest with you, there are moment in my life when I feel disconnected. Like, I'm just going through the motions. But then I remember, it's about that connection with Christ. It's about finding those moments to plug back in to him. 

    In this world it is easy for us to get distracted and disconnected. There is a lot of "static' in this world that can cause us to lose sight of the one thing we need most in our lives. Entertainment, the busyness of life, the stress and struggles of our daily lives all can draw us away from the life giving source that is found in Christ. 

So, here's what I'm thinking, and maybe it'll resonate with you:

•     Lets Find those moments of quiet: Even if it's just a few minutes during your commute, or before you go to sleep, just to be still and listen. Turn off the phone if you have to. Go outside your house and sit in the back yard or on the front porch and spend time with God. 

• Engage with something meaningful: Read a verse, listen to a worship song, listen to a sermon, read a devotional. Find something that helps you connect with that deeper sense of purpose. Don't focus on the quantity, but focus on the quality of your time. If all you do is spend a few min with just one verse or you spend hours pouring over several chapters of scripture, make sure that your connecting with God. 

• Share your thoughts: Talk to a friend, or write in a journal, to help you process your thoughts and feelings. Remember we were not just created to be in connection with God, but also to be connected to one another as well. 

And if you're feeling that longing for a deeper connection, that sense of something missing, I encourage you to explore that. To seek that connection with Jesus. He offers a life that's truly rich, a connection that changes everything.