Attachments

I was helping to move someone to a different home, but it was going to be a smaller space. The new place didn’t have a full kitchen and there were far fewer places to store things. They had to downsize quite a bit. There are always attachments to the things we have. Some are object that help us remember loved ones, some are items that have been very useful over the years, and some are gifts that we treasure. There are probably many other ways that we get attached to things, but is that healthy? I would say yes, within reason. We all have different ways we experience loss and it is hard to let go of some of those things that have been part of our life over the years. I think that where the issue starts to play in is if our attachment to earthly things becomes a greater desire than knowing Jesus. If we can separate the earthly loss with our spiritual desires, we are probably doing ok. I’m not insinuating that we should not mourn the loss of those things that are near and dear to us, but just as scripture says about the death of a believer, we don’t mourn as one without hope. We can mourn, we can grieve, we can miss those things no longer in our life, but with it comes the opportunity to make new connections with the new people we meet. I wonder, however, if most people are as attached to God as they are to their possessions. Again, I am not shaming those that mourn the loss of part of their life in a move. Rather, I would hope that our attachment to God would supercede all these emotions. How is that connection to Jesus obvious in our lives? The hunger and desire that we have to be in God’s word, studying and taking in all that is said. This connection shows every time we invite someone to join us in worship or share what God means to us. I think our silence doesn’t show attachment, but rather embarrassment, uncertainty of what to say, or unbelief. If it is something else that we really love, we usually find a way of sharing it with those around us. We show Godly attachment by how much time we spend with God and whether it is quality time. If we are dating, we express our attachment by how we treat them, how we honor them, and by the way we talk about them. Are you more attached to things or to our Lord Jesus? Father, thank You for the many ways You are actively part of our lives. Help us to stay fully connected to You. Amen