Is This All There Is?
Is your life satisfying? Talk to someone who will come alongside you.
Something is awry—we feel disconnected. We connect with a career, find meaning in family, yet long for something more.
We feel the frustration I felt on Christmas morning, 1964. I assembled a nine-year-old’s dream gift: a genuine Santa Fe Railroad miniature train set, complete with battery-powered engine and flashing crossing lights. I placed the locomotive on the tracks and watched in sheer glee as three pounds of pure steel wound its way across my bedroom floor. Around and around and around and . . . around . . . and around . . . After some time I picked it up and turned it the other direction. It went around and around and around . . .
“Mom, what else did you get me for Christmas?”
Similarly, our lives chug in long ovals, one lap after another.
First job. Promotion. Wedding day. Nursery beds. Kids. Grandkids. Around and around . . . Is there anything else? Our dissatisfaction mates with disappointment and gives birth to some unruly children: drunkenness, power plays, eighty-hour workweeks, nosedives into sexual perversions—all nothing more than poorly disguised longings for Eden. We long to restore what Adam lost. As someone once said, “The man who knocks on the door of a brothel is seeking God.”
Feeling overwhelmed by the stress of the season?: Let us pray for you
Carols of Christmas: Take a Life Lesson
Where and when the brothel fails, Jesus steps forth with a reconnection invitation. Though we be “dead in [our] transgressions and sins (Eph. 2:1) and separated from the life of God (Eph. 4:18), whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God (I John 5:1). Reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God” (John 1:13.).
Don’t miss the invisible, inward miracle triggered by belief. God reinstates us to Garden-of-Eden status. What Adam and Eve did, we now do! The flagship family walked with God; we can too. They heard his voice; so can we. They were naked and unashamed; we can be transparent and unafraid. No more running or hiding.
“Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now!” (1 Pet. 1:3–4 MSG).
From 3:16 The Numbers of Hope
Copyright (W Publishing Group, 2007) Max Lucado
Used by permission
Questions: Do you feel disconnected? How can one get re-connected?
About the Author Max Lucado
Tags: awry, Christmas, disconnected, Eden, flagship, Grandkids. kids, heaven, job, max lucado, promotion, reinstates, Santa Fe Railroad, wedding
8 Responses to “Is This All There Is?”
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sharon, I hope that you won’t be leaving the devotionals. I’m sure many regular readers appreciate your comments.
Just wanted to echo Leslie’s comments and note that just because you may not always get replies to your comments, that doesn’t mean that no one is praying for you!
If you or anyone else reading this devo ever would like to have someone pray with them privately please contact an online mentor here:
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Thank you all for your participation & bless you as you continue your spiritual journeys!
HI Ladies, Disconnection…wow…what a powerful tool in the hands of satan. Manytimes it seems for every victorious forward step of faith- the feeling of being disconnected is lurking not too far behind. My thoughts aggravate my peace of mind with doubts of whether or not anyone noticed the victorious step I just made. Satan whispers into my heart and tells me that since nobody obviously cares, I am just wasting my time with this whole faith and loving God thing. Depending on my physical and emotional states, sometimes I begin to think that he is right…..that it is a waste of time. But when I open my bible, revisit my journals, or simply quiet my thought with gentle music, my Heavenly Father is always there with arms open wide. He says, “Come here, precious child, and let me hold you for awhile. Rest here with me. I know all about it and everything’s going to be alright”. He soothes my broken heart, encourages my progress, but most of all, He simply loves me. And it is in this love that I remember that even if nobody notices anything I do –He does. Zepaniah 3:17 says that He even rejoices over me with singing! Ain’t that cool?! So, to my beautiful sisters I say, press on in your faith. Sometimes it is by divine orchestration that we are disconnected. sometimes Our Abba Daddy just wants a little one on one time with us personally.
AS for Sharon B, sugar, I too have a child who continues to break my heart with not so admirable choices. I cringe when he calls because I never know what “new” situation he has gotten himself into this time. Along with my child I pray that your daughter in law will be exposed to the boundless, limitless, unconditional love of our All-Knowing, All-Powerful, Always right on time Heavenly Father. Hang in there, my precious daughter. God is never late. Keep up the good fight and endure to the end.
I am done with this devotional. although i like reading them several times i have asked for prayer for my daughter-in-law for her addictions and it seems a if noone has heard
Praise is the answer, alli is right when I am feeling disconnected it is usually something crazy going on and praise get me back on track. My love ones that are not listening to God at this moment, because they know and believe they are not paying attention but God is working there are amazing things coming out of mouths and actions are changing so keep praying for those loved ones it’s all goin to work out in God’s time.
Yes it is powerfull,but also true .Many are feeling so disconnected at times but we just have to hold fast on our faith and push trough with prayer especially for those closest to us whom do not believe in our Saviour as we do ,as God answers those prayers for them and us too.So lets all agree now as we read each others comments that In Gods strength we draw closer to him and him to us and to those we love and for his presence be felt daily even through our feelings of disconnection.Lets give him thanks daily and remember to be steadfast and strong in the Lord no matter how disconnected we feel ..I can relate to this but keep pressing in as its powerful never to give up and to remember that the enemy is already defeated at The Cross so this feeling of disconnection is just the enemy trying to make us give in or give up but we wont..may God be with you all and his spirit fill you so you can endure through this time and for me too .XXXX
This is a powerdul devotional. Thank you for sharing this. I pray for God’s grace & protection over us. Thanks for reminding us how oftentimes when we turn to idols/ other ‘wrong’ things, it is actually b/c we are hungry, broken for God. please pray we will continue to put the Lord first. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
i don’t fell disconected. but i know my daughter-in-law does she has a drug and drinking problem, and she has said that she does not believe in God the way we do. but we have all been praying for her for years and now i would like to ask for prayer for he from you ladies on this blog
thank you
sharonb
It is true. Even when your not sure in what capacity to serve, there is a spirritual paralasis. But I thank God, b/c he always finds work for me in his vineyard. Praise the Lord!!!