“And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”
Matt 27:50-51
Today I was thinking about our connection to God being like broadband rather than dial up. We are in constant connection with God because of Jesus. No longer do we have to wait for special days or hope for a divine appearance but we have access to God at any time. We don’t have to go to a specific place or perform a ritual, we just speak and God hears us. We sometimes doubt that fact because we don’t always feel the reality of our connection.
Strange as it may seem, when I tried to access the internet today I found that there was a problem. I had no connection and, even though I tried to resolve the problem, I couldn’t sort it out. First I rebooted the computer as this often solves random problems. Then I switched the router off and on again. Next I checked all the connections, and wiggled them a bit. The “trouble shooter” did not help as it needed access to the internet! This was the extent of my expertise so I gave up.
Without broadband connection I can’t check email or facebook, talk on messenger or connect to webstreams. I am cut off and my normal routine is blown. I do so much on the internet, including shopping, finding information and looking up scriptures (so much easier than ploughing through the concordance). I enjoy lots of free Christian teaching and webstream the prayer room 24/7.
This was a coincidence, happening on the day I was formulating my comparison, or was it? What are you trying to tell me God?
Without my connection to You I would be really lost, not just inconvenienced. The first thing I did before I started problem solving was talk to You. I didn’t kneel to pray or sing a chorus or two to get connected. I just asked You for help, for wisdom, for understanding. It made me realise just how much I share my thoughts and feelings with You. My broadband connection may fail but You will never fail me. You are my first response, my best friend, my first thought. I wasn’t distraught when you didn’t zap the computer or speak in an audible voice. If my situation was serious I might be more desperate to hear Your answer or see You move on my behalf. Today I just want to talk and leave the response in Your hands.
I have always done this. Maybe I’m just a talker, one who loves to share their life, but I began to do this before any one could teach me another way to relate to You. I read about You in the bible and I relate to You as a Father, because it says that what You are to me. I talk to Jesus as His disciples did. Although I am amazed at Your glory and Your awesome power and I have been bowled over by Your presence (literally) I know You love me and want me to come to You. In the bible, when you sent an angel or appeared Yourself, the first words were always “Do not fear”. This is so precious.
There have been hard times when I have had to hold on during the pain of hurt and loss. Times when I had to cry and trust You to understand the reaching out that words cannot express. Discouragement and despair are difficult to walk through and I have really known times when You have carried me. I have not had all the answers but am content to trust You because otherwise I would be crushed by the weight of it all.
Oh, but there have been times. Times when I have felt Your presence, either in a gathering of Christians or all alone, and everything else seems to fade into insignificance. It is hard to explain how I feel. You know my weakness and my frailty, and You still value me. You know how useless I feel when I see others doing great things for You and yet You accept my small attempts to please You as if they are so precious to You. You know all about my selfishness and pride and You still entrust Your treasure to me.
How can I explain all this to some one who has never known You? I see their need and their scepticism, feel their derision and scorn. Some may even wish they had what they hear me talk about. I once told a Christian “I wish I could believe like you, but I can’t” That was my first prayer and You heard and answered me. I knew that I wanted to believe that You were real and the stories about You were true but I had no way to make the leap. It was impossible for me to transform my mind or my life. You did it for me, and You do it for all who reach out to You
You made a way through the veil between heaven and earth and now we all have access to You. One day we will see You face to face but we already live in Your presence. You tore the curtain that separated us from You because You don’t want anything to come between us. I’m so glad that You did.
