John 15:4-8, Psalm 68:6

Andre von Mollendorff considers the importance of building honest and deep relationships.

Andre von Mollendorff

Have you ever felt connected and disconnected at the same time? I have.

We are so connected; we live in a time where we can connect with anyone, anywhere, anytime in the world. We can lie in our beds and chat with a friend we haven't seen for years. We can stay on track with where everyone is at and what's happening in their lives. Facebook reminds us of everyone's birthdays! When someone gets engaged, we can be part of it from the moment after the first selfie hits the cyber world! We can even follow their exciting journey up until the last few minutes before the bride walks down the aisle. Somehow we feel connected, like we shared this special journey and day with them!

How is it possible that we can be so connected, yet feel so disconnected?

How is it possible to have 1000 friends on Facebook, though no one really knows what is going on in our hearts?

Why is it so easy to communicate what we feel online, via WhatsApp, or even bombarding Facebook with deep emotional statuses on how our day was?

Yet, when it comes down to engaging with parents, siblings, everyday friendships, and challenges, it takes so much effort and it all becomes slightly overwhelming! We can walk through the entire day whilst feeling very disconnected from people that are meant to be closest to us! We're so connected, but deep in our hearts there is a sense of isolation and misunderstanding. The worst is that we don't blame anyone, because we don't even understand ourselves. We feel disconnected from what is happening even in our own hearts!

So is there an answer? Is it possible that there is a deeper level of connection that you are missing out on? Maybe you have even tried a couple of deeper relationships and thought that if you give your heart, soul, and body to another person that it would make up for the emptiness inside?

There is good news! There is an answer!

The only TRUE disconnection that we have is when we are disconnected from God and don't have an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.

I can be connected in a thousand ways; but if I'm not connected to Jesus, I will stay empty, isolated, and searching for connection.

Jesus says in John 15:4-8: (The Message Version)
'Live in me. Make your home in me, just as I do in you. In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can't produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon'.

When I'm joined to Jesus, the relation intimate and organic, and I'm at home with Him, connected to Him only, then I will produce fruit! But when I'm separated, disconnected from Him, I'm like deadwood! Easily burnt up by life!

When I'm joined and connected to Christ, I will understand that He also wants me to connect in real relationship with people.

Psalm 68:6 says, 'He puts the lonely in families.' We need to get connected in a spiritual family with spiritual mothers, fathers and siblings! The most connected, at home, and fruitful place I can ever be in is a spiritual family (the church). This spiritual family is the safe place of being in relationship with God and with people who know me truly for who I am and yet still love me and believe in me.

God wants to restore family relationships, heal our hearts in areas of mistrust and disappointment and help us to get in touch with the true condition of our hearts. This is done best in a spiritual family.

So are you ready? It's time to UNPLUG!

Unplug from superficial connectedness! Unplug from a fake sense of connection! Unplug from the demands of the cyber world and plug into the REAL world!

Plug into a TRUE REAL connection with JESUS CHRIST. Plug into real relationships with a spiritual family and those closest to you. Plug into and get connected with the Vine! God wants to bring you into a fruitful, connected place!