FULLY “CONNECTED” & FULLY “CLOTHED”—-or Not!
My connection was not working, and I did not understand why. I turned on the Wi-fi just as always, prepared to enter the password provided to us if necessary. Spinning. Spinning. Spinning. It was easy to see the Wi-fi attempting to connect, but the message was the same each time—You are not connected. NOT CONNECTED!
How did we ever live before the Internet connected us all?
How did we communicate—get on with life—work—go to school—& How did we LIVE!!!?
How did we do anything “important” before we were provided the Internet?
Our grandparents would know—How, & our great-grandparents would know—How, & even some people who live today as if “off the grid,” they understand how it is possible to live and not be always connected to the far-away world.
Not being able to connect to the Internet when one is abroad and reliant upon Wi-fi can become so stressful. We expect to be able to become “connected” with just a few clicks, and we become frustrated when we cannot connect. Even now, as I type, knowing that I am not connected to Wi-fi and unsure if I will be able to post this blog causes me to almost throw up my hands and say, “What’s the use?”
Then I remember what God’s Word says about “being connected,” and it reminds me how—We should NEVER want to be so far-apart from God that we cannot speak to Him or feel His presence!
God NEVER moves away from His children!
It is a truth & a promise of God!
Yet, we sometimes move away from Him & we sometimes “connect” ourselves to other desires, wants, and worldly gods.
What if God’s children want to be connected to Him but only loosely connected (as to live with one foot in this world & with the other foot in heaven).
Can a person be loyal to two gods:
To the desires & wants of this world?
& (at the same time)
To Jehovah Jireh, Almighty God, the King of Kings & LORD of LORDS?
Absolutely NOT!!!!!!
Do we serve a JEALOUS GOD?
Absolutely!!!!!!
We DO serve a GOD, the one true GOD who absolutely wants our undivided, focused, and obedient attention—to only HIM!
His Word says it is so!
“Then Joshua said to the people, ‘You will not be able to serve the LORD, for He is a holy God. He is a jealous God; He will not forgive your transgression or your sins.
If you forsake the LORD and serve foreign gods, then He will turn and do you harm and consume you after He has done good to you.’
The people said to Joshua, ‘No, but we will serve the LORD.’
Joshua said to the people, ‘You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen for yourselves the LORD, to serve Him.’ And they said, ‘We are witnesses.’
Now therefore, put away the foreign gods which are in your midst, and incline your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel.’
The people said to Joshua, ‘We will serve the LORD our God and we will obey His voice.’ ”
(Joshua 24: 19-24)
C. S. Lewis said, “Putting on Christ . . . It is the whole of Christianity.
Christianity offers nothing else at all.”
- Help us to NEVER want to be so far-apart from God that we cannot speak to Him or feel His presence!
- Help us to NEVER want to walk away—from GOD.
- Help us to ALWAYS seek to obey Him &
- Help us to ALWAYS keep our eyes focused upon our FATHER & NOTHING ELSE!
Paul wrote to the Christians living in Galatia about God’s desire that they recall how they belong to God, & how God wraps Himself around them as if He has clothed them with Himself. Paul reminds us how this “clothing” we wear is OUR CHOICE! Paul reminds us how this “connection to ONLY GOD” is a decision that is 100% OUR CHOICE!
“But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ . . . .
And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. . . .
Because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, ‘Abba! Father!’
Therefore you are no longer a slave [to any earthly god], but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.”
(Galatians 3: 25-27 & 29 & 4: 6-7)
Father,
Help us to NEVER want to be so far-apart from YOU that we cannot speak to YOU or feel YOUR presence!
Help us to NEVER want to walk away—from YOU.
Help us to ALWAYS seek to obey YOU &
Help us to ALWAYS keep our eyes focused upon YOU & NOTHING ELSE!
Help us, Father, to eliminate, to move away from, to refrain from turning toward anything that causes us to take our eyes from YOU or to “un-connect” from YOU.
Help us to remember ALWAYS how we have chosen to follow Christ, have chosen to be baptized into Christ, and have chosen to become clothed with Christ.
Therefore, help us, Father, to want more that our next breath to remain FULLY CONNECTED TO YOU.
We pray, asking in Jesus’ name. Amen.