We Are Connected

Scripture:

34: Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

35: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

36: I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

37: “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?

38: When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?

39: Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’

40: And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Matthew 25 (NKJV)

Martha Beck said, “Loneliness is proof that your innate search for connection is intact”. The fact that people can feel lonely is proof of their need to be connected to others. The need and desire for connection is hardwired in people by God; He created humanity for community. He Himself said, “It’s not good for man to be alone”. Yet, people have been duped into believing that each individual is self-sufficient and can live a good life independent of any and everyone else.

Connected. There is power in being connected. Jesus understood that. He prayed as He prepared to go back to His Father that His disciples would be united as one. He knew that there would challenges which would be harder if faced alone. He knew the importance of being connected to each other and ultimately, to God and His Church. As the Church goes into 2024 and beyond, may it be reminded of the importance of being connected.

Connected to the Kingdom of God – salvation and the confidence of being “accepted in the beloved” are two some of the many gifts God gives to those who accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Once they are born again, they immediately become citizens of the Kingdom, sealed with the Holy Spirit until Christ comes back.

Connected to Christ – salvation happens when you “believe in your hearts and confess with your mouths” that Jesus Christ is Lord. You are then made heirs and joint heirs with Christ. He is “the vine, you are the branches”. If you remain connected to Him, through prayer, Bible study, meditation, and fellowship, you will see the fruit of being in relationship with Him.

Connected to the Church – the Bride of Christ for which He is coming back. Being a part of the Church provides the fellowship, the worship, and the service which is the evidence of your Kingdom citizenship. It the “family” to which every believer belongs, and it provides the necessary recharge when you

Connected to the Community – allows believers to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to live out His love so that the world will know that they are His disciples. It is the opportunity to give to those who are less fortunate by feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, or taking in a stranger who is need.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for calling us out of darkness into the connection with Your Kingdom through our connection to Your Son Jesus Christ. Through His sacrifice, You have connected us to Your Church, which allows us to be connected to and serve in Your community. Give us the sincere desire to not only be a part of, but to be genuinely, intimately, and indisputably connected to Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Reflection:

“The need for connection and community is primal, as fundamental as the need for air, water, and food.”

(Dean Ornish)