When we come to the point of remembering, giving thanks and having a heart of gratitude we start to see the connections. Everything is connected. As we look back and review our accomplishments we see connections. What connections have provided us with opportunities to succeed. Who are we connected to? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Do you remember that old song, Dem Bones? It went like this;

The leg bone’s connected to the knee bone,

The knee bone’s connected to the thigh bone,

The thigh bone’s connected to the hip bone,

Now shake dem skeleton bones!

Things in life are connected and when we think about how we got to where we are we would do well to appreciate and understand the connections that made it possible. Thanksgiving starts with remembering those who paved the way for us.

You hear it in an acceptance speech when someone is receiving an award and is asked who they’d like to thank. The list is the connections that made the accomplishment possible. It may start with family members or the biggest supporter. It may be the one who provides encouragement or grace, like a spouse or partner. No matter who or what makes up the list it becomes clear the award wasn’t achieved alone.

That isn’t only true of every award, it is true of each one of our lives. We didn’t get to where we are on our own. There have been people and things that have contributed to our journey. When we look back and give thanks we can’t help but see the connections that brought us to where we are.

Now not everything in our past is what we may call good. Some of the things that have shaped us are trials. We have been tested and tried. Those times were not comfortable or easy, but they have as much more to do with the person we become than the other times when things were handed to us. If we honestly look at our journey, we can see the times when the going was tough, but through that experience we grew.

God’s Word teaches us some things about the trials we face in life. In James it is written;

James 1:2-4; NIV; Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Trials are connected to our development, like tests that indicate we are ready to progress to the next level. They are necessary to demonstrate we have learned and matured enough to handle the next steps along our journey. Persevering through trials produces maturity and helps us complete our development.

You don’t start at the top, you work your way through different levels of responsibility, gaining experience and learning your way to the top. We have to demonstrate we can handle the next step up before we are given the opportunity. Every step along the way there are people that provide the opportunity for us and for that we need to be thankful.

Especially in our walk with Christ, we need to persevere, endure and mature. God’s Word is living and as we grow in our relationship with Him, we see more and understand more. We become capable of doing more, and more is expected of us. But it all starts with one connection.

We must first establish the relationship with God through Christ, accept the invitation to receive the forgiveness Christ made available in His sacrifice on the cross. We must ask God to forgive us and come into our life and lead us. When that connection is established, God promises to be with us always, every step of the way through our journey, guiding, teaching, disciplining, convicting, nurturing, maturing, providing, restoring, refreshing, and helping us fulfil the plans He has for us. We need to stay connected with Him before our Journey produces fruit.

John 15:4-5; NIV; (Jesus said) Remain in me, as I also remain in you. 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 you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.

Being connected to God through Christ allows us to live the best life possible, a life in God’s presence doing the things God has planned for us to do. We cannot know true fulfilment and satisfaction in this life without the connection to the creator and sustainer of life. With the connection we can bear much fruit, be successful in the things that make an eternal difference. Apart from Christ we can do nothing.

The connections we have in life determine a great deal about what we are able to accomplish. There aren’t any of us who can stand alone and claim we did it ourselves. If we think that is the case, look around, you’ll be surprised at how much of what you have and depend on came from someone or someplace other than yourself.

We are created with a need to connect. We are interdependent and need to have others alongside to walk through life with. Life isn’t fulfilling and satisfying without someone to share it with. Think about running a race alone. You will win, but there is no one to enjoy that with, no one to compete against, no one to crown you the victor. Life spent alone isn’t a life we were meant to live.

I encourage you to take some time and think through the connections that have made the life we live possible. We will soon find that even the simplest of pleasures require more than ourselves. We will find the presence of others to be the foundation of a good life. We will soon realize how much we need and depend on those around us to fulfill our plans, dreams, hopes and desires.

I would also encourage you to reach out to God through Christ and establish that connection. That relationship will change our perspective on so many things. Life around us will change as we see and appreciate the sacrifices others make for us. We will see life through a different lens. I would encourage you to start that journey and walk through life with God by your side.

Blessings,

Pastor Don