When I was sixteen years old, my dad helped me build a stereo set. I remember carefully soldering all the transistors and potentiometers into the amplifier, drilling holes in my bedroom walls, mounting the two speakers, and running all the wires. But what I remember most is the music—lying on my bed listening to the Beatles and gazing at the 8 X 10 glossy prints of Paul, John, Ringo, and George taped on my dresser mirror.
It was my first experience with wiring and also my easiest. Today, each of the flat screens in my home has five speakers, and I have to write on blue tape and attach it to each wire to know where it goes. Underneath my screens looks like an ocean—little waves of blue tape curling up everywhere. Amplifiers, speakers, cable boxes, and computers all “wired” for connection to something.
We are “wired” for connection. . . to God.
Long before he laid down earth’s foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love.
Ephesians 1:4 MSG
God created us to have a love relationship with Him. He hardwired us for connection to Him. Before He laid the foundations of the earth, He had you, and me, in mind. We are the focus of His love and by His love we are made whole—complete, and holy—set apart. God continues to pursue us to that end. . . no matter where we are, where we’ve been, or where we’re headed.
We are “wired” for connection . . . to each other.
God also created us to have relationship with one another. He hardwired us to be connected to each other as well—to be involved in the process of becoming whole and holy together.
It’s a perfect plan, but it’s not as neat and tidy as the pieces of blue tape on my wires. There is always the possibility of a disconnect on either end. If I involve you in my process of becoming whole and holy, then I also have to involve you in my broken and messy self.
Everything within me resists doing that. In fact, I’m actually afraid of doing that. What if I reveal a broken or messy part of myself, and you judge me, you label me, you reject me, you think I’m not good enough, and you decide I’m not worthy of connection?
In order to be connected with you, to have you involved in my process of becoming whole and holy, I have to stop managing my image and start allowing you to see the real me. I have to be authentic. I have to be vulnerable! The word vulnerable comes from the Latin “to wound,” which means, if I am vulnerable with you, I am opening myself up to be wounded by you. But, I am also opening myself up to be healed by you, to be made whole and holy by my connection with you.
We are wired for connection with God—who settled on us as the focus of His love, to be made whole and holy by His love.
And we are wired to be connected to each other—to be involved in the process of becoming whole and holy together.