The Importance of Connection

By Warren M Mueller –

As I reflected on the tragedies of the Boston Marathon bombing and the Newtown massacre, I realized that those who did these crimes were described as loners or people without friends. This caused me to think about what isolation does to human thinking. I searched for an example I could relate to and thought of my daily commute to work in an auto. In this case, people are isolated from each other, and most of the time, I see the vehicle, not the person inside. It is easy to feel annoyance and even anger when others violate my space on the road by cutting in front of me. When standing still in traffic, I tend to look straight ahead because I do not want to interact with others who may be angry or frustrated. The result is that my view of others on the road is reduced to vehicles that are obstacles or are competing with me for space. This situation fosters low tolerance of actions that violate my space and produces thoughts of others as being rude and selfish which stimulate negative emotions.

Conversely, people who share values, goals or something in common tend to think positively about each other. A great example of this occurs among Christians because of faith in Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. I am amazed at how I can feel close to people with whom I have very little in common except our shared Christian beliefs. However, I find I feel much less connected to those who I see regularly but do not know by name or shared experience. There is a danger even in church of just being present out of habit or obligation which can result in going through the motions without mentally and emotionally connecting to others.

The Bible says that believers are to seek relationships or connections with other believers and meet together regularly (Hebrews 10:25 NIV). Jesus is the ultimate example of someone who overcame social barriers by connecting with others. Jesus loves us so much that he became human in order to connect with us and help us to become like him (John 1:12-13; 3:16 NIV). Jesus associated with social outcasts. He formed a network of followers to mentor and helped them develop a new identity based on his teachings, example, and relationships. His death and resurrection enable those who accept him as Savior and Lord to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit (1Corinthians 6:19 NIV). This is the ultimate connection in life because it is the most intimate transforming the mind and changing us into holy children of God (Romans 12: 1-2 NIV).

Shared views and purpose produce loyalty and commitments to glorify God and advance his kingdom on earth. The result of loyalty is unity and love for God and for other believers. This is why Jesus said that others will know his disciples by their love for each other (John 13:35). Why then is there not more love and unity among believers in Christ? I believe the root cause is our failure to connect with others.

Practice connecting to those you encounter by thinking of them in positive ways. I have started to look at people in their vehicles and think of them as working with me to get back and forth to work each day. This has helped me to connect with them giving me greater tolerance and appreciation of our collective effort to return safely home each day. Look those you encounter in the eye and smile at them and think of something you share in common with them. This could be as basic as realizing we are Americans. It will help you be connected and discover something to love in every encounter in your life.

What’s in a Name?

By Rosemary Flaaten –

What’s the significance of your name? Were you named after a family member or someone famous? Does your name reflect your personality?

My name – Rosemary – was one that my mother always loved and it also was a combination of my paternal Grandmother’s name (Mary) and her only sister (Rose). To top it off, I was born with a high colour complexion which meant that ever since I was a baby, I’ve had rosy cheeks. Thus my father’s nickname “Rosy,” seemed to fit both my complexion and my personality.

In Scripture, the names that God uses to identify Himself always gives evidence of His character. The one that has intrigued me the most is that God is simply known by “My Name”. God assured Solomon and the Israelite people at the opening of the temple that “My Name shall be there” (1 King 8:29 NIV). Jesus promises that “I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God” (Revelation 3:12 NIV), and the Psalmist extols us to “Sing the praises of the LORD, you his faithful people, praise his holy name” (Psalm 30:4 NIV).

“God’s name is associated with his glory, power, holiness, protection, trust and love. To call on his name is to call on his presence. To act in his name is to act with his authority. To fight in his name is to fight with his power. To pray with his name is to pray to him.”

By calling upon The Name of the Lord, we are not just glibly addressing a higher being. We are calling upon every power, all peace, unending strength, boundless love and endless grace. Speaking His Name creates an open door to the God of the Universe. There is power in The Name of the Lord. May we use it with gratitude, reverence and trust.

Prayer: My God, heighten my awareness of the presence and power of your Name.

“Let the one who walks in the dark, who has no light, trust in the name of the LORD and rely on their God” (Isaiah 50:10 NIV).

The Potential Beneath

By Peter Lundell –

I hiked Bryce Canyon and was awed while walking amidst the rock formations. Up to the edge of the canyon is a forest. And it’s flat. The canyon starts from a clear line of erosion along the edge of this forest. With an average of 200 days of freezing and thawing per year, it forms astonishing sculptures out of Dakota Sandstone.

All along its edge is that flat forest. Given enough time, the canyon will continue to widen where the forest now stands. The earth underneath the forest is the same as that in the canyon, but it’s still underground. As the trees erode or burn away, freezing and thawing water and ice will push chunks of rock apart to continually form new sculptures.

That whole forest has the potential to—and given enough time will—form these amazing features.

We often think of potential as something we strive to achieve. Bryce Canyon gives us the image that potential is underground, continually waiting to be uncovered. Our potential as people lies deep inside us, buried below social expectations, busyness, perhaps fear, and maybe laziness. That’s been true in me. It may be truer in you than you’d like to admit.

Could each of us be like Bryce Canyon? Like the flat forest, we may live a normal life and be little different from others. But dig away, patiently, for years, our whole life. What uniqueness or abilities or actions would we find?

I think most of us tend to give up too easily, or we get distracted, or burdened with the rest of life. I often have. Then I start in again. Focus! I shout at myself.

What’s buried beneath your surface? How has God uniquely created you?

And what are you willing to do in order to bring it out?

“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen” (Ephesians 3:20-21 NIV).

“Lord, You know who I am better than I do. Work in me and lead me to erode away all that obscures and hinders what you would do with my life. I commit to fulfill my potential in Your hands.”

The Darker the Night

By Gillis Killam –

The old adage: “The darker the night, the brighter the light” came to mind this week as I watched the television report of the Boston Bombing. In fact, the news most nights is full of murders, riots, protests, wars, and brutal acts being carried out before our eyes. People become very sad, fearful and hopeless; but those who know the Lord can shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and depraved generation, by helping others to see the life Jesus calls us to.

The newspapers are filled with darkness. In “Listening to Your Life” Frederick Buechner wrote , “…if darkness is meant to suggest a world where nobody can see very well – either themselves, or each other…if darkness is meant to convey a sense of uncertainty, of being lost, of being afraid…Darkness is what our newspapers are about. Darkness is what our best contemporary literature is about.”

If this is true, and it is; then we have a great responsibility and opportunity to become lights in the gloom around us. Jesus identified the reason for the darkness when he said, “people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19 NIV).

He also said “You are the light of the world”(Matthew 5:14 NIV); so we must not fret about the darkness, but let the light of the Gospel shine through us bringing light to this darkened world.
When we confess our sins we bring light into the world; when we do acts of love to our neighbors, our families and even to our enemies; we bring light into the world. When we follow Jesus we will never walk in darkness.

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NIV).

The Yokes on Me

By Rhonda Rhea –

You know how I usually know I’ve been too busy? I open the refrigerator door and find fur. And then I stand there for several seconds wondering what it used to be. Then I stand there another several seconds wondering if I should have it spayed or neutered.

It happened again the other day. I was standing with the fridge door open and my son told me he heard something groaning. I assured him it was only me.

They heard my groaning, yet there is no one to comfort me. –For I must clean the refrigerator myself. That’s from Lamentations 1:21(ESV). Except I added the entire last sentence.

At the point I start rewriting Lamentations, I usually figure out that I’m too busy and it’s time to formulate another plan. Here’s the part where I have to confess that my Plan B is almost always exactly like my Plan A—only with more coffee.

The better Plan B? It rests in the words of Jesus in Matthew 11:28-30. And actually it’s much more appropriate as a Plan A. “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light,” (ESV).

As vital as it is for our bodies to spend time at rest, it’s even more vital for us to embrace some soul-rest. Anytime we’re feeling spiritually troubled, heavy-laden or burned out, Jesus reminds us, “Come to Me.”

When your mind is cluttered with a worried jumble of to-do lists and your heart is weighted down with distresses and difficulties, your Savior comes along with this reminder that He waits for you. He waits for you to come. It’s His desire to be your comfort, your encouragement, your hope, your victory. And all you have to do is…come.

How do we come to Him? We come as we sort out our priorities and line up our plans for every day with His. We come to Him as we make prayer and worship a priority and give His word an uninterruptible place on the schedule. In those precious places of prayer and worship and in reading His word, we find indescribable comfort. And guess what else we find. We find the items on an overwhelming to-do list coming into perspective and sorting themselves out. Often those things sort themselves out as we discover His calling to lay down a heavy yoke we’ve placed on ourselves—our own plans and some kind of big, fat, misdirected agenda. As we exchange those plans for His, we find a yoke that’s a much more comfy fit. Exchanging the yoke we’ve made for the one He has for us is always a trade of victory. We find grace. We find inspiration to keep going. We find joy. We find…Him.
Isn’t it fascinating that any yoke I place on myself is utterly and entirely exhausting? And isn’t it even more fascinating that the yoke of Christ is invigorating to the max in every little corner of my soul?

Every day, for every list, I need to remember to rest in Him. To give my soul a break, and to “come.”

As far as the fridge is concerned, I would love a break there, too, but I don’t see it happening. Looks like I’m going to have to knuckle down and clean it. Or maybe shave it.

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