“Connected”

Over the past several weeks, we have seen Jesus described as the Vine, the Fountain of living water, and the Head of the body. All these vivid images from God’s Word have one aspect in common—connectedness. As the branches cannot live without being locked into the life-giving Vine, so we are cut off from eternal life apart from Jesus. As the solitary juniper twists and withers on the hillside because it lacks a replenishing water source, so our souls’ thirst remains unquenched apart from Jesus. As our bodies are aimless and lifeless when disconnected from our head, so we lack direction, purpose, and spiritual growth apart from Jesus. These three powerful analogies make it perfectly clear that being (and remaining) connected to Jesus is the remedy to our deepest longings! The reality is that we were created for a relationship with the Living God, and it is our disconnectedness from Him that causes all our problems. When we admit our sin and put our trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we become connected to God again through the Holy Spirit, who now indwells us. It is through this reconnection that God begins feeding our souls with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (the fruit of the Spirit).

Are you connected to Jesus? Is the Holy Spirit replenishing your soul with peace and joy, producing love, and goodness, and kindness in your life? If not, then turn from sin to Jesus today and be reconnected with the One you were made for!

Pastor Mike