WHERE IS THE PHONE???

Like most people, I have a few “pet peeves”. One of my pet peeves involves people in my household NOT returning things to their rightful place after they are done using them. Advances in technology are partially to blame for this annoyance.

Like most pre-80’s babies, I grew up in a home that had corded phones. When you were done using a corded phone, there really wasn’t too much that you could do with it besides hang it up in its place. BUT in steps the mass production of cordless phones in the 80’s (FYI-the 1st cordless phone was actually created in 1959 by an Afro-American, “Brother” or Black Man…which ever you prefer  named Dr. Raymond P. Phillips Sr.). Today, I have approximately 8 cordless phones in use at my house and a couple “leftovers” hanging around in boxes or storage bags (…Don’t ask)

It seems that without fail, when I really need to use a phone, it is never on a charger where it is supposed to be, so when I eventually find the phone, the battery is dead. Apart from the charger, the phone can operate on residual power for several days, but eventually it will lose its power.

This morning, I went to use the phone near the sink in my bathroom, only to find that the battery was dead. I was a little surprised to see this, because the phone was in the “right place” (on the charger), but then I realized that I stopped plugging the phone directly into to the wall outlet and began to plug into to my powered “shaving” mirror. Last week, I had to unplug the shaving mirror from the wall as the outlet was needed for another purpose, and I failed to plug the mirror back in. As a result the phone couldn’t recharge.

This observation forced me to stop in my tracks for a minute and to reflect on the question “Where I am “plugged in?”. I can say that without a doubt, that every point of “weakness” in my life was the result of me not being directly connected to God (who is my power source). I have at times connected to other “chargers” (my own strength, my own wisdom, the power of other people, my relationships, my marriage, my family, my “religiousness/spirituality” etc), only to find that they can only provide a “temporary spark” and not a sustaining current of power. I have also deceived myself and tried to make it in my own strength only to find that my “residual strength” could not keep me going or allow me to live a victorious life. Without power, I become inefficient, irritable and incapable of fulfilling my purpose.

John 5:15 says “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”

In order to have power, to produce and to fulfill our purpose in life, we must have a direct connection to “The Vine”. Apart from a direct connection with God, we can do nothing of eternal value. We fool ourselves if we believe that we are the source of our strength.

On the way in to work, I noticed that, due to the severe storms this winter, most of the trees had branches that had broken off, but appeared to be connect to the tree, since they had not fallen to the ground. To the casual eye, they appeared to be intact, but in time those branches will wither and die, because they are no longer connected to the source of their strength and life.

What will time reveal about your connection to the Source of Life?

Maybe it’s time to “PUT THE PHONE BACK ON THE CHARGER”.

Be Blessed,
B