Living Life by Design

I was part of the pastoral leadership team for a church in Victorville, California some years ago. Without warning, our senior pastor announced he was leaving. Our denominational leadership began searching for a suitable replacement. After interviewing several candidates, the church board made a decision on a new senior pastor. However, the decision was not unanimous and there were many in the church congregation who weren’t happy with the choice. Many long-time church members decided to leave.

The new senior pastor only lasted a few months before resigning. The church struggled to stay open with the denominational leadership asking the board to close the church down. A once thriving, vibrant congregation of over 400 members dwindled down to just 20 or 30. Although the church managed to stay open, it never grew back to what it once was. 

God blesses connection. This is why the devil fears connection. The devils ultimate aim is to cut you off from God. He tries to split marriages, to split friendships, to divide churches, to divide denominations and to isolate people. Although our culture is more connected than ever before through the internet, phones and social media, people are more isolated and lonely than ever.

In 586 BC, Ezekiel had a vision of a valley full of bones…they were dry because they had been separated. They were scattered, fragmented, divided, cut-off, ‘abandoned’ and therefore dried up. The people of God were in exile and had been scattered by the enemy. They were saying, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off’ (Ezekiel 37:11). God asks Ezekiel, ‘Can these bones live?’ (v.3). The answer is yes, if we stay connected.

Jesus has made victory possible for us through his death and resurrection, which connects us to God. We need connection to thrive.

Are you connected?