Connection

Today reminded me of the importance of connection, the purpose of life could be summed up in this; the purpose is to be connected to God and each other. My Father says in his Word, "it is not good for man to be alone..." Even in creation before the fall in the garden of Eden, mankind was designed for connection, to God first and then each other. People today make all sorts of connections with unhealthy relationships, tolerating physical and verbal abuse, why? Because they might just want to keep the peace to keep the connection. Spouses will beg the cheater to stay, victims of domestic violence will bail out their abuser. When someone dies we experience loss, loss of what? Connection to that person who in the past made deposits in our love bank. When my mother died 21 years ago, I would visit her grave, seeking a connection, inevitably reality would set in, there is no connection to be made, only to a transcendent memory, I would always leave the memorial gardens with a sense of emptiness, we are created for connection.

Many seek it in whoever makes a deposit in our love bank, good or bad, it might be wholly sinful, yet, we seek and desire that connection. Today I was reminded of how important connection is, connected to a group of people, a cause, a faith, our mutual relationship with Christ. It is not unique to people of faith, the connection is important to veterans, they would die for their brothers, many have, many will undoubtedly in the future. Consider, veteran suicide often is about this, about the disconnect to those who understand you the most.

Bring in 2020, our connections are being torn away, we cannot even see the smile of a friend hidden behind a mask, Covid-19 is cruel, no hugging, no handshakes, no kisses. Cruelly, the connection to elderly parents has been torn away. I witnessed many dear people tell me of the confusion of their loved ones in nursing homes, "they do not understand why we are not visiting them..." Connection to others is so important, today I realized just how important connection is when I saw friends I have not seen in a while in person, only through social media, I miss them already. I miss being with people in the church, ironically in church, they always encourage visitors to fill out connect cards. I miss being in Sunday school, in a coffee shop with a friend, out to dinner with my sisters and their husbands, even more, I miss having all three of my children together at one time. We were all made for connection, all the sins of this world will never fulfill the need we all have of connection to God and each other. Every family photo, every photo of friends together, they are all about connection. Consider if our homes caught fire, once the people and pets are out, the photo albums are the first things we will try to save, why? Connection to our past memories to people. God made us this way, perhaps He is using this time to get his children to refocus, for clarity to obey his commandment "love one another." Love is always about connection. "God so loved the world..." Why did he do that? To make a way for us to be reconciled to Him, to be connected to him intimately, forever, here or there. "I will be with you always..." the most comforting words for all time.