Today, I want to focus this blog entry on the concept of 6° of separation but with a bit of a twist. From a spiritual standpoint, there is something to be gained as we consider how we can connect with the greatest of relationships, God the Creator of the universe. Of course, this relationship is simple. It is through prayer, but, there’s more to it than just the religious action of folding our hands and closing our eyes.
Follow along with me on a journey to a personal connection that we all can experience through 6° of separation. In truth, we may want to even say 6° to making an incredible connection with the incredible God!
I’m a connector. One of the traits that I’m known for is networking and making connections with others. I enjoy building relationships with new people and even more, having the opportunity to deepen those relationships in a significant way. I like to think that I have a desire to bring something into the relationship, not just take something away.
In the work that I do now, I am continually reaching out to pastors and ministry leaders for the sake of connecting foster children with loving homes. At times, I have the opportunity to take the relationship deeper as children and youth are fostered and adopted into loving homes. Perhaps in the same way, we too can become adopted into a loving eternal family, God’s family.
How does that happen? How is it that we can become a part of the incredible inheritance that God has for us?
Romans 8:17The Bible talks about adoption through so many examples in the Old Testament and a significant theological understanding throughout the New Testament. It’s impossible to fully understand this until we have recognized that we are abandoned and that God, through his infinite love, has brought us into his family.
And since we are his children, we are his heirs. In fact, together with Christ we are heirs of God’s glory. But if we are to share his glory, we must also share his suffering.
Romans 8:15 reads; So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, "Abba, Father."Let’s take a journey as I share with you the 6° of separation; principally speaking, those things which bring your connection with God closer!
1° For All Have Sinned.
Something happened and it wasn’t our fault. It happened long before you and I entered the world as we know it today. It was a decision that was made by those who God created in which we are now descendants of many generations later.
You may think to yourself that it’s not fair but the effects of sin are all around us nevertheless. The decision of one couple, Adam and Eve who sharing in the blame of a terrible decision to disobey the perfect order God had established for them in a wonderful garden.
Before you become self-righteous we should realize that we likely would have made a similar decision. The choice was before them which impacted countless generations leading up to our very own. The world is now broken and there is brokenness in every aspect of this world including the family.
Romans 3:23It’s a realization that we must accept. In fact, it is our current reality. Just look around or read any newspaper headline and it’s unavoidable. Soon this generation. This world is broken. It’s not even God‘s fault because the decision was made that broke his plan and also his heart.
For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
2° I Sin.
You’re just like me. We compare ourselves with others to find a way to justify who we are. We may even say that we’re not as bad as someone else. We compare ourselves to those that have murdered or those who are purely evil and say that we are better than "those kind of people."
That maybe true that we do things better, but it doesn’t, by any means, make us righteous. We too sin. Each and every day we may find ourselves tempted in-which results in sinful actions in thought or in deed.
Romans 6:23As we personalize this theology, we look at ourselves in the mirror and recognize the sin in our lives. If we humble ourselves and recognize this it will bring us one step closer to the relationship and connection we long for.
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
3° The Gift of God.
A cruel creator would’ve left us in this state of disconnection and chaos. We would’ve been abandoned. Yet, God our Creator did not. He worked at developing a way to restore this relationship. He came up with a plan B.
Romans 5:8Throughout the old testament he called out to average people to communicate His message of love and restoration. He chose leaders and prophets and kings in order to get His message across. He created a system of sacrifice through the priest in order to pay for their transgressions. He went so far as to send His only begotten son to pay the price for our sin.
But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.
We all like to receive gifts but it is ironic that so many of us try to take care of this sin problem ourselves. The gift that God offers can take care of the sin problem as well as the sins we commit. The journey doesn’t end here.
Along with humility is an action we need to take that I call submission. We need to be submissive to the point of confession. We need to recognize the importance of confession. By confessing that we are born into sin and that we also practice sin, we then start the process of reconciliation. We have a need we cannot solve by ourselves.
We need to begin by recognizing that we have needs, and that gets us to the place of knowing that the solution is beyond ourselves.
Ephesians 2:8-9Consider the following. You are in a relationship with someone who loves you, and you love them. If you do something to offend them, you will not hesitate to confess your offense with a simple phrase, "I am sorry." We do this because we value the relationship. We don’t want something to get in the way of our connection. Similarly, we don’t mean to create a separation in relationships. We try to build the connection because we know that building connections are key to all relationships.
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.
5° Receive.
I love birthdays and Christmas. It doesn’t have to be my special day; I enjoy watching the excitement others experience when they open an unexpected gift. Recently my daughter graduated from college. She attended Indiana Wesleyan University. On graduation, she brought a gift for the President, Dr. David Wright. It was a graduation that occurred on graduation day! Watch how the President responded here.
Romans 10:9Gifts are personal and unique. They are given with an expectation of any return on receiving a gift. I enjoy being involved in foster care and adoption. It is like receiving a gift when children feel connected. Even more when they are adopted!
If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
The message of salvation in Christ (being connected to God in grace) is about being adopted. We receive His gift of love and belonging. As we understand that we are orphans or as we are fatherless, we realize that belonging to Him is a gift! If we receive His love, we are receiving a gift of eternal life.
6° Rejoice in Telling Others!
How would you respond if you won a contest? What if you accomplished a significant challenge like a marathon race? What if you won $1 million through the Publisher’s Clearinghouse? You would tell someone, wouldn’t you? You would post this on Facebook or Instagram. You want everyone to know.
In this journey of 6-degrees you come to a place when this new-found faith be one personal and real. It is so exciting to us to know that we are adopted; we belong.
Matthew 28:18-20As we discover belonging to God’s Kingdom, we naturally tell others. As we find this new family, we call the family of God; we tell others. Our joy in this connection causes us to let others know.
Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
I am always finding ways to to share my faith! You could say that because of what I realize God has done in my life I want others also to have the realization of this profound difference he can make in their lives as well.
Each of these may be considered steps toward a personal relationship with God, the creator. As we develop further our relationship in faith, I am reminded of Philippians 1:11. It’s a verse that reminds me that there is fruit from my relationship with him. We call this salvation.
Philippians 1:11 -- May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation--the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ--for this will bring much glory and praise to God.
