I
opened the front door to let in the man who would walk through our
newly-finished basement to assess the work and to make sure that it was up to
code. The inspection process would take
under an hour, we were told. Our
contractor was a good one, and he didn’t cut corners. I wasn’t worried.
The inspector was a friendly guy, and we made small talk as we moved through the large room. I learned that he lived thirty minutes away, but was originally from another part of the state.
Oh
yeah? Me too. What town?
I asked.
He
gave the name of the city I always give when people ask me the same
question. Me too! I said, smiling. Though not really. My hometown is smaller, but no one has heard
of it, so I usually don’t bother mentioning it.
Me
too, he repeated. He offered the name of his
hometown.
My
eyes widened. It was the same small town
I knew, the one where I grew up.
What
is your name? I asked.
He
told me, and I smiled again. His
last name was familiar, belonging to two school pals from my younger years.
Do
you know them? I asked, mentioning the names.
Sure,
he said. They are my sister and nephew.
We
laughed as I explained that his sister and I were friends when we were kids, and we talked about our other mutual connections for a few minutes. He told me what his sister was doing now, and called
her to say hi and to share the coincidence.
He handed the phone to me and we said hello and asked how are you and
laughed about this chance meeting. Small
world, we inevitably agreed.
The
older we get, the more people we know. I’ve
run into people from my past in airports and on vacation, and the longer we
live in our current home, the more connected to others we become. It’s no longer surprising to see familiar
faces at the grocery store and gas station.
We are rooted here. It’s a comfortable
feeling.
I
love connections. This affinity was
passed to my daughter, whose teacher once remarked on all the connections she
makes between topics at school. We come
from a long line of people who love to share connections.
They’re
comforting, these connections. They remind us that we are not alone in this
world, that there are others who relate. Others who know what we know, believe what we
believe, feel what we feel, and who understand what we’re all about. Finding a person who gets me is all I ever
wanted in life. It’s a nod to my
existence, a chin up that acknowledges that I’m really here.
After
a lifetime of looking for connections, I’ve learned that a deeper connection
with God is much more satisfying than any connection I can make with another
person. The Holy Spirit connects me to
God as I navigate this life down the road he laid out for me, and I dwell in
his presence as my life moves forward. This
connection has shown me that God is
always consistent. He knows me. He gets
me. His love never fails despite my own
failings.
I
am here. I exist. And I am his, forever connected.
*******
Once
you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live
in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the
powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who
refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate
desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were
subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
But God is so
rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though
we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from
the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For he raised us
from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because
we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point
to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and
kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with
Christ Jesus.
God saved you by
his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift
from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done,
so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s
masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good
things he planned for us long ago.
Ephesians 2:1-10