Connected
I’m gonna say something that might be controversial…
“I love to play video games.” There. I said it. Soccer. Football. Baseball. COD (IYKYK).
Even though I’ve reached the age where I’m not as good as I used to be, I still love playing video games. I grew up playing them, and I’ll probably never grow out of playing them. When I first started playing video games, I had a controller that was connected to the console with a wire. Now, my controller is connected via Bluetooth. As a result, I either need to replace the batteries in the controller from time to time, or I need to place it on a charger. Regardless, if the batteries in the controller go out, I can’t play because there’s no connection between the controller and the console. The design is such that unless there’s an active connection between the controller and the console, I can’t play the game… I can’t even get the game started… nothing can be accomplished. It’s designed in such a way that without connection, there is no sign of life.
As I look out over humanity in general and my life specifically, we are designed in the same manner. Check this out:
“Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.” – Genesis 2:7
From the very beginning of time, God created humanity to have connection with Him. God literally breathed life into the one He created in His likeness. This is much different than the way God created everything else. Outside of humanity, God simply spoke the world into existence. While this is a miracle in and of itself and shouldn’t be overlooked because it links power to the very word of God, His creation of humanity was much more intimate. God’s relationship to humanity was different than His relationship with the rest of creation. After creating Adam, we see God speaking directly with him just a few short lines still in chapter two of Genesis. Right away we see that humanity was created to communicate with God. Even prior to Adam sinning, Adam was dependent on revelation from God in order to live in the world that God created.
And what happens next? The connection is interrupted. It gets disconnected. The Bluetooth stops working. Not because of anything God did, no. It’s like my controller when it stops working. It doesn’t stop working because of the console or the people who made it, it stops working because I didn’t replace or recharge the batteries. And the same is true with humanity. It’s because of what Adam and Eve did to their relationship with God. And what their decision did not only broke their connection to God, but it also caused us to be born into a broken connection with God as well. And without connection to God, there is no sign of life.
God designed humanity in such a way that without connection to Him, there is no sign of life.
And what happens when that connection with God is broken? At the most basic level our eternal destination after we die is to be without relationship with God. Most of us has seen the billboards asking the question, “Do you know where you will go after you die?” or have heard someone with a megaphone on the street corner yelling about heaven and hell. And yes, that is a real concern, but this broken connection affects each one of us in a more immediate, deeper level. When my batteries go out on my controller, I’m not worried about tomorrow’s game, I’m concerned to get the connection back up and running for the game I’m currently playing. When my connection with God is broken, it affects my life right now. When my connection with God is broken, I’m not living life to the full because my perspective is skewed because I’m not connected to the One who can wholly comfort me, wisely counsel me and willingly convict me.
While this connection to God was broken leaving humanity in despair, God in His kindness made a way for the connection to be reestablished through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus. Jesus is the Source of life. Check this out:
“Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’” – John 14:6
Not only is Jesus the Source of eternal life, but Jesus is also the Source of the full life every one of us is seeking. As our connection to God is restored through Jesus, as we accept Jesus into our life as our Savior, we have access to the life Jesus offers and connection to God.
“The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.” – John 10:10
This means that Jesus isn’t just the Source of life, He’s also the Course of life. That’s cute Todd… You can rhyme. But what does that even mean for me? That’s a very valid question. You see, when Jesus becomes the Source and Course of our life, we are changed from the inside out. Our perspective changes. Our response to people becomes different. Our reaction to life’s circumstances reflects the character of Christ. And hear me when I say this… This has nothing to do with what we can do differently; this is in direct correlation to the working of Jesus in the life of the follower of Jesus. Jesus as the Course of life means that our path of life is to live the life of Jesus as He lives in and through us wherever we are. Again, this can’t happen through our own efforts. It’s. Not. Possible. It only happens when our connection to God is restored through our trusting in and following Jesus.
“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.” – John 15:5
This, my friends, is the hope that Jesus offers… connection to God for life now. Jesus doesn’t promise that life will get better or easier, but He does promise to wholly comfort you. He promises to wisely counsel you. And He promises to willingly convict you. And in everything, He promises that in Him you will find the joy of true life as you are connected to Him.
God designed humanity in such a way that without connection to Him, there is no sign of life.
Trust in Jesus today, allow Him to change you from the inside out as you are reconnected with God Himself.
“You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” – Psalm 16:11
It's Ok To Ask For Help
So, the other day I bought an electric hoist to make taking the hard top off the Jeep a ton easier. I found the one I wanted and then Morgan and I went and bought it. I was excited to have this hoist. I mean, we’ve had this Jeep since last October and we hadn’t taken the entire top off. And now, with this hoist, we can make our Jeep completely top free. After bringing it home, it was time to install it. I had watched a lot of YouTube videos on how to put this thing on my ceiling. Jami and I had gone to a few stores in search of a bar that would help reinforce the hoist and make it completely safe to use without worrying about the weight of the Jeep top pulling down our garage ceiling. Once we got the metal bar and screws home, it was game on.
I was a little nervous about being able to safely install this hoist. However, my friend Davis, a fellow Jeep owner, encouraged me and had faith that I could put this hoist up (shout out to Davis!). After reading Davis’ words, I decided to try and pull it off by myself. I prepared all the materials in the garage. Pre-drilled the holes in the ceiling studs that would hold the anchor screws. Grabbed the metal bar. Attached one anchor screw. Attached the second anchor screw. Then the third. And then screwed in the fourth anchor screw. This thing is definitely not coming down. I even placed two spacers on either side of this anchor bar… why? Well, honestly I don’t know why. I saw it done on one of the YouTube videos and thought it made sense.
Now it came time to hang the electronic hoist. I adjusted the ladder to where I needed it to be. Then I grabbed the hoist. I feel like I need to say one thing about this hoist first. You see, as I was walking out of the store with this thing, I commented to Morgan on how heavy it felt in the box. Fast forward to the Sunday after buying this hoist, I picked up the hoist out of the box. Now, I had just had my hands above my head for a bit drilling holes, holding the metal bar and trying to line up the holes in the bar to the holes in the ceiling, then screwing in the four anchor screws. In other words, my arms and shoulders were already tired. So when I pulled the hoist out of the box, it definitely felt heavier than when I bought it. But I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I grabbed the hoist, made my way over to the ladder, then made my way up the ladder towards the ceiling. I raised the hoist up to where it needed to be hung and then realized quickly that I needed to bring it back down to the ladder. I thought, ok, maybe I just need to rest for a minute. So I brought the hoist back down and laid it back on the chair.
After resting for a few minutes, I tried again. I grabbed the hoist and made my way back up the ladder. Raised the hoist above my head, tried to put one of the bolts in above my head and above the hoist… nope… couldn’t do it. This time I thought maybe it was the position of the ladder. Ya, it had to be that. So I repositioned the ladder and climbed back up. Lifted the hoist above my head and tried to screw it in again. Still couldn’t do it. So I climbed back down. Climbed back up. Then climbed back down. I did this probably ten times almost falling off the ladder twice because the weight of the hoist had shifted in my hand and shoulder. I even asked Jami to help screw in the bolts to the top of the hoist. But because I couldn’t hold it up for very long, and because we couldn’t see the top of the hoist to screw in the bolts, we couldn’t get it done. And then she said ten words. Words I didn’t want to hear. The words?
"Maybe you should ask one of your friends for help.”
What!? I don’t need help, I can do this myself I told Jami. Plus, I didn’t want to bother one of my friends. I was sure they were busy and had other things to do. So back up the ladder I went. And then, back down as quickly as I went up. Five more times, again nearly falling a couple of those times. And then it finally hit me. Maybe I really can’t do this by myself. Maybe I should ask one of my friends for help. So I did what very few guys like to do… I pulled out my phone and sent a text to one of my friends asking for his help. I felt horrible about it. I kinda felt like a failure because I couldn’t do it myself. And I felt like I was putting my friend out, like I was an inconvenience to him. But I sent him a text asking for help anyway. He came over a little later that day, and we installed the hoist in just a few minutes. You see, I just wasn’t meant to put up that hoist by myself. But together, my friend and I put it up together.
After we had the hoist installed and took the Jeep top off, I thought, man life is just like this experience. We run through life, all of its problems and circumstances and we think that we’ve got this. We don’t need help. But life was never intended to be lived alone. It’s always been designed to be lived in community together. Check this out:
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Now the Lord God had formed out of the ground all the wild animals and all the birds in the sky. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds in the sky and all the wild animals. But for Adam no suitable helper was found. So the Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. - Genesis 2:18-22
From the beginning of time, God knew that it wasn’t good for any of us to be alone. He knew that each one of us needs community, we need togetherness, we need people in our lives. Life was never meant or designed to be lived by ourselves in isolation. God’s very design was for us to live in community. But loneliness is a real problem that many of us have felt at one time or another. In a recent study, 36% of all Americans — including 61% of young adults and 51% of mothers with young children—feel “serious loneliness.” And it’s only been made worse with COVID. And if that’s you right now, I want you to know two things.
First, Jesus loves you right where you are. Right in your loneliness. Right in your suffering. Jesus loves you. And when you call on the name of Jesus and ask Him to come in your life and save you, He doesn’t leave you alone. He provides you with His Spirit, the Holy Spirit to comfort you. John 14:26 says,
"But when the Father sends the Comforter instead of me*—and by the Comforter I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you much, as well as remind you of everything I myself have told you.’ - John 14:26
Second, the church is here for you. It’s filled with people who love Jesus who can provide you with the community you need.
What a wonderful God we have—he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the source of every mercy, and the one who so wonderfully comforts and strengthens us in our hardships and trials. And why does he do this? So that when others are troubled, needing our sympathy and encouragement, we can pass on to them this same help and comfort God has given us. - 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
No matter what age you are, the church is a place where you can find hope and healing and community.
Lastly, I think most of us has struggled with the feeling of being alone. Or feeling like we’re a bother if we ask for help with something we’re going through… The struggles we face. The Hardships we have. We just don’t want to bother someone with what we’re going through. Or we think we can get through it ourselves. Whatever we’re going through, we can handle and solve it ourselves. But God has placed people in our lives for a reason. Check this out:
On one of the days while Jesus was teaching, some proud religious law-keepers and teachers of the Law were sitting by Him. They had come from every town in the countries of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was there to heal them. Some men took a man who was not able to move his body to Jesus. He was carried on a bed. They looked for a way to take the man into the house where Jesus was. But they could not find a way to take him in because of so many people. They made a hole in the roof over where Jesus stood. Then they let the bed with the sick man on it down before Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the man, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” - Luke 5:17-39
What kind of friends do you have in your life? What will your friends do for you? How far are they willing to go to help you? Better yet, what kind of friend are you? What will you do for your friends? How far are you willing to go to help your friends? You see, this dude couldn’t walk. He was paralyzed and couldn’t move his body. Everyone knew that Jesus was in town. Everyone knew that Jesus had the power to heal people. And this paralytic and his friends heard that Jesus was in town too. What did they do? They carried this guy on a bed from their town to see Jesus. The Bible doesn’t tell us how far they came. They don’t tell us how heavy this guy was. How many times they had to stop to put him down to rest. But we do know that this was only half of what they did. They other half? Ya, they tore apart the roof, raised up the guy on the bed to the roof then lowered the guy down to where Jesus stood. These friends did all they could for their friend. They carried him on the road from their town. I wonder what they talked about. They tore up a roof. They knew Jesus was inside and that He could heal their friend. They did everything they could just so their friend could be brought before Jesus. They did all they could to help bring him healing.
You see, life is meant to be lived in community. In a togetherness where we all help to bring healing to each other through Jesus. We’re all struggling with something, it’s up to each of us to be roof-top friends to each other, being willing to be the kind of friend who will do all we can to bring healing in the name of Jesus.