"Disconnected"

By Zach Wood

John 15:5

I am the vine, you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;

apart from me you can do nothing.

 

 

Several years ago, I remember AT&T focusing their commercials on having fewer dropped calls than any other network.  Some of those commercials were humorous, with situations showing what happens when a call is dropped.  No one enjoys their cell phone dropping a call.  It is annoying and a pain to try to find a place where the signal is better to make a call.  A connection is vital when you are trying to have a conversation with someone.  If there is no signal, there is no conversation.  You can try to text and call all you want, but if there is no signal, nothing is going through. 

 

We are in a relationship with the Creator of this world.  He created each and every one of us with a desire for us to want to communicate and commune with Him.  He desires for us to seek Him and to consult Him in every situation we experience.  He desires to lead us and guide us.  He desires for us to listen to His voice and obey His commands.  When we choose to be disconnected from Him, we cut off the lifeline to our growing relationship with Him.  This is a terrible endangerment in our walk with Him.  When we disconnect and do our own thing, terrible things can happen.  

 

Each time I read this passage, the last six words seem to just "jump out" at me.  God is the vine and we are the branches.  If we disconnect ourselves from the very source that gives us life, we can do nothing.  Sure, we can go through each day eating, sleeping and keeping ourselves busy, but we are separated from anything that will make us grow spiritually.  We become dry and we do not bear any fruit. 

 

No one likes to be disconnected from life.  We want to be involved with people and family and things going on around us.  We don't lock ourselves in a closet or a basement and become isolated from everyone.  Why do we seem to do this with our relationship with God so much?  We disconnect from Him when we decide to live life on our own and do our own thing.  We think we know better than Him how our lives should be lived sometimes.  

 

I encourage you to keep those last six words in your mind.  Remember that apart from Him, you can do nothing.  If you are disconnected from God, you cannot bear fruit and your growth will not continue.  We must stay connected.  Are you connected?