My fifteen month-old granddaughter pulled the power cord out of my husband’s computer today. It didn’t shut off, but you could tell it was not getting all the power it needed to operate at optimum performance. The entire screen was lighter and the bright colors had turned to grays.

Sometimes I feel like my relationship with God is like that. I am still connected, maybe in a ‘wireless’ way, but there is not a direct connection. I have become… unplugged.

How does that happen? For me, it’s simple. Distractions, busyness, priorities. We all get distracted and turn away, even if just briefly, from what was once our focus. For a moment, we pull our power cords from the power source and try to operate on our own. It is not until we realize that our batteries are almost dead that we forgot to reconnect. What were once vibrant, bright colors in our lives, have subtlety turned to grays. Our appearance grows dim.

It is important that we protect that vital connection. If disconnecting from the major power source on a computer does that to the colors and screen resolution, while still operating on an alternate source, imagine what disconnecting from God does.

- We are vulnerable to threats. In computer talk, this is considered a virus. In the life of a Christian? Sin and temptation.

- We are weak. In computer talk, our battery is low or we are operating on an alternate energy source. In the life of a Christian? We are relying on our own strength to make everyone happy and make things happen. Can’t be done – well, anyhow.

- Our brightness fades to grays. In computer talk, we’re saving power. In the life of a Christian, the light within us has dimmed.

I’m sure if you don’t try very hard you can find several other examples. The point is this – if we are unplugged from God, we are probably plugged into something else that is going to eventually short out or blow a fuse. Most likely, we think we are running strong on our own and the truth is we do not operate well at all unless we are connected directly to the Lord.

…No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. …I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

[John 15]

Lord, help us to recognize when we’ve become unplugged and get reconnected – right away. Help us to remain in You always and be fruitful so that we bring You glory.