Thought to Ponder:In Place, but Not Connected
“You cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” Jn 15:4 NLT

One Bible teacher writes: “Cell phones can be lifesavers…but the batteries have a limited lifespan and need to be recharged. One weary weekend I was as drained as my cell phone battery. I went through my evening routine, dutifully placing my cell phone in its ‘recharging cradle.’ Unfortunately, I neglected to plug the cradle into the wall. Next morning I woke refreshed—but my phone was no better than the night before. It was in the right place…but it wasn’t connected to the power source! Sometimes the consequences of not ‘plugging in’ can be more severe…many people dutifully march to church every week, but leave as drained as when they came. They’re in the right place, but they’re not plugged in to the power of God…and without that it doesn’t matter if you sit in a pew or on a barstool…You can study the Scriptures for hours on end, ‘always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth’ (2Ti 3:7 NAS); you can even do great things for God but lack power in your life. If I’d left my cell phone on the charger for days or weeks instead of overnight, it wouldn’t have helped. Multiplication of effort isn’t a substitute for true power…Guard against things that disconnect you from the power source…obviously sin will do that, but so will weariness. We can’t remain connected if we’re weighted down by busyness. We can spend so much time doing things for God that we neglect our relationship with Him.” Jesus said, “You cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” That means reading the Bible, praying, and resting in His presence. (Bob Gass)