Can I state something really obvious? We aren’t connected like we once were. Some of our grandmothers in our congregation are struggling with not being able to hug their kids and grand-kids even though they can see them on facetime or zoom. You don’t have the casual conversations with someone you pass in the hall or your barber/hairdresser, or the opportunity to give a hug or shake a hand like we did not long ago.  Here’s something else that is really obvious. It’s not good for us.

 

We were built for connection– It’s foundational to our human structure!

 

1.  God formed us with a connection to him. This is the first relationship that was built in Genesis 1:26-27. First God made man in his own image. And he made man and woman companions for each other.
2. Genesis chapter 2:21-23 reinforces that when it reviews how God made Adam and Eve and how first God had Adam name all the pairs of animals to solidify in his mind his need for a companion, and then from Adam’s side God created Eve. That’s a really close relationship! And one that really brought him joy! He composes a poem because of it.
3. Then notice in Genesis 2:24 God established that though relationships would change, a husband would leave his parents ( this set even before there were parents in the world) and be united to his wife. Being connected was constant thing.

 

Because of this crisis your brain might be sending you an error message. 

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Right now, especially if a lot has changed for you, our minds are registering that we are living in an error and our system amps up. And if you stay in that elevated state your cognitive abilities, our planning, our emotional regulation all suffer and it can leave you frozen in empty space. And that has to be reset.

 

• Crisis disrupts the wiring of our normal connections with others and with God. You don’t see the people you normally see, you don’t run into them in the hall or in your neighborhood. You’re not at church with the people that are built to encourage you. I don’t get these little touches of connections that give me life. 

Be intentional!

Matthew 7:7  “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.

2 Corinthians 1:3–5  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.  For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

 

There is overflowing comfort- wouldn’t that be nice to have now! That’s because we have been wired into comfort through the suffering of Christ (by the way, that’s how God addressed the bigger “error” of sin). It’s like a family we go through crisis together, but knowing your Father has done what he needed to keep you protected. It’s an inexpressible comfort to know the  heavenly Father, who is strong and mighty, is with us in this!

 

Build connection

• Find ways to make a connection-and understand you are dealing with an error. It’s not going to be ideal, but as you build a new map it will help you navigate this crisis.
  • • 1. With your family, friends, coworkers- Have regular family/friend zoom time, or chat on the phone.
    • 2.  Don’t ignore our need for a Savior. Our horizontal connectedness is important now, but more so is our vertical.
      • • Set a schedule to worship with your brothers and sisters in faith. We still do 11:00 every Sunday.
        • Connect in prayer- it’s as simple as posting it on our site and people can actually pray for you.
        • Zoom Bible class. Thursdays 7:00
        • Zoom Pop-in Wednesday nights 7:00.  I will just be on zoom from 7-8:30pm if anyone wants to check in, say hi, ask questions, share how many typos they found on last week’s service:)

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 This is a big thing to God, connecting us with others and himself. Our next few devotions will focus on how connected God has wired us to be.

 

Miss you all

God’s Peace

Pastor