Reflections, February 1st, 2009

Checking Our Connection

Sunday, February 1^st, 2009

How often do you spend time or talk with the people in your life that you have known for years? What about your relationships today? Are you spending quality time with your family, your spouse? Where is God in your life? With work and family, and trying to maintain these days in such economic array, many are spending less time at the Father's throne. Do you recognize the voice of God? Perhaps your line of communication has been disconnected.

It is my sincerest prayer this this week's Reflection will serve as a source of encouragement and understanding for your spirit and soul. I pray that you will find the time to reconnect to the Father, and stay connected, as He has much He wants to share with you.

Have you ever been on a phone call, and the conversation was going along, and you were talking and talking, and hadn't realized that you had been disconnected? Or maybe, like me, you were on the internet in the middle of an ongoing chat, and just when you're getting to the information you need, you get disconnected. You try to reconnect quickly, but it just will not go through. You check everything out. Your internet light is still on. For all intense purposes, technically you are still connected, yet the computer screen keeps saying: Unable to Connect, Please Diagnose Problem.

This is what our heavenly Father is saying to us; we have been disconnected and do not even realize it. It appears as though everything is the same. We still go to church, We read our Bibles. We give to charity's. We even help those less fortunate. But yet, there is still a disconnect some where. We are not connecting to the Spirit of God, and we are missing out on important information that is vital to our life in, Christ Jesus. Information that is needed to sustain and feed our walk in the, Lord. Just like the telephone scenario, many of us are talking and talking, but we are not listening. We don't even realize that we have been disconnected from our source of power.

"And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?"

Genesis 3:8,9 

There they were, in the garden of Eden, surrounded by beauty and splendor in the presence of God, whom Adam and Eve walked with daily. Whom Adam walked side by side and fellowshipped with; hiding themselves from the One who created them. They felt afraid and ashamed. Disconnected because of sin.

God knew where they were. God knows where we are. And still, He asks where are we? Not because He doesn't know, however, He wants us to see where we are. To look around us, and recognize what separation from Him has done. To be able to notice and recognize the condition we are in. A condition that we don't have to be in, if we would stay connected to Him.

Make no mistake, God is not the one who disconnects, it is we who have terminated the call. We who have turned away; who have stopped walking in the garden with our Father. Yet, God is there to reconnect the power anytime we ask. He is right there to restore us, and get the flow of communication going once again.

We must first realize, however, that we've been disconnected. Some of us don't even realize that there is a problem. As with many things in life, we get caught up in the daily grind of things, and have taken for granted that we are okay. That because everything appears to be connected, that nothing seems to have change, everything is working just fine. Bt there's a problem. The power is just about gone. We have been going on empty and are about to give out. The engine light has been flashing for quite sometime now, and we've been ignoring it. And it's about die.

God is our source. He is our source of life, energy, happiness. But if we do not stay connected to Him, then we suffer the consequences of being overwhelmed by this world, and the life that we are living. God never created us so that we would be separated from Him. He created us so that we would be connected to Him. He created us with a built in mechanism, a navigational system, if you would. His spirit. A part of Him lives in us. And it is that part of us that yearns to be connected to it's source; it's Creator.

We spend so much energy trying to satisfy our needs and to fill a place in our hearts that was designed for God, with so many other things. Only to find that we are never satisfied. That we haven't been able to quench that thirst or, fill that hunger. A place that was meant to be filled by God alone.

"...Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof; from such turn away."

2 Timothy 3:5

It is that power of God that keeps us connected to Him. It is that power of God that brings chastisement, correction and discipline when needed. It is that power that makes us humble. It is that power that brings healing to sick bodies, broken hearts, and disillusioned souls. It is the power, of God, that separates us from a life of ritualistic and lip service, and brings us into the fold of heart service; of divine worship.

Many have been brought up believing that they have a deep abiding relationship with God. They believe that because they did, and copied, and followed everything that they were told, and saw; that they are standing in right connection with God. But God says, they have not heard His voice. They have not truly come into fellowship with Him. They do not recognize that it is not the rituals, traditions, or good deeds that get you into heaven. It is the state of your heart, and if you have believed and accepted His Son, Jesus Christ, as their Lord and Savior.

If you are one that seems to be doing everything right in life, but you still feel empty inside; if you read your Bible, go to church, and are being that "good" believer, yet you still feel as though something is missing, maybe you need to diagnose your connection. You see, it's not about how much you "do" for the Lord, as it is how much you "receive" from the Lord. When we are in relationship with the heavenly Father, and take the time to stop talking and doing, and be still, we will be able to hear the voice of God, learning what He wants us to do. Not just what someone has told you. But what God told you for yourself. It is alright to listen to our Leaders. Yet, we are responsible for reading the Word of God for ourselves, as well. We should always study for self. Studying the Word of God...a workman that needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth...(2 Timothy 2:15).

Our relationship with God is a personal one. No one can dictate how or when we will receive the Lord. Only God knows the exact time when we truly will believe and receive. Meanwhile, God is constantly wooing us, and preparing us, and conditioning our hearts to not only receive, but to understand.

We also can get caught up in our daily routines, even after connecting to the Father, that we don't realize we have slacked off in our intimate time with God. No matter what we do "for" God, it doesn't take the place of time spent "with" God. Because, it is in those intimate times at the Father's feet, and on His lap, that we receive the strength and power, and love needed to keep our connection alive and working.

"Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her."

Luke 10:38-42

©2009. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.