I was putting away Christmas ornaments at work (which is ironic as I hate putting away Christmas decorations and always manage to get out of that job at home!) and as I was taking down these beautiful glass baubles, one detached itself from the silver string, fell to the floor, and shattered.
The noise was loud, the mess great, and the shiny, sharp, splinters spread themselves far and wide across the office floor.
Because, as you’d expect, when the link between the bauble and its string was broken, the bauble itself was no longer supported and as such it fell and shattered.
It didn’t break because it was weak.
It broke because it was no longer supported.
The moment the connection between the bauble and the string was severed, gravity did the rest. And standing there, staring at the fragments, I felt the Spirit gently whisper:
This is what happens when we disconnect.
We are created to be attached to Jesus. Without Him, our lives are vulnerable to shattering—fragmenting into what can feel like a thousand sharp pieces of unresolved pain, unmet need, disappointment, or sin.
I couldn’t safely pick up the broken glass with my bare hands. To do so would have risked injury. In the same way, unhealed brokenness in our lives can leave others vulnerable to being hurt simply by coming too close. Our own traumatic crashes can scatter debris far beyond the moment itself, leaving others to trip over what we haven’t yet tended to.
So how do we prevent ourselves from falling away from that which keeps us whole?
We were made for union with God, we were made to be “vitally united” to Him (John 15:4 APMC) and when that tie is severed or broken, when we are “cut off” from Him, our lives will no longer bear the good fruit that God designed for us to bear and we can “do nothing” (v.5).
Not less.
Not a little.
Nothing.
Life doesn’t fall apart all at once. Often, it’s a slow fraying. A neglected practice. A delayed obedience. A quiet resistance we justify as wisdom. Over time, the string thins. As we read more about being connected to Jesus in John 15:2-10 we see that the way to remain connected is through keeping His commandments and continually obeying His instructions, again and again (v.10).
For that bauble to have remained whole, it needed to continually remain connected to the string. It didn’t need to try harder. It simply needed to stay attached.
And it’s the same for us.
Union with God is not maintained by intensity alone, but by faithful, again and again, ongoing obedience. By choosing His way when it costs us. By responding when He speaks. By aligning our lives—not just our beliefs—with His instruction.
So let me ask you gently:
Where might there be frayed strands in your connection with the Lord right now?
Where has obedience become optional, delayed, or quietly avoided?
This isn’t an invitation to shame. It’s an invitation to repair.
Bring those places to Him. Confess them honestly. Allow Him to strengthen what feels thin and restore what has weakened—so that your life can continue to bear the good fruit that glorifies the Father.
“This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”
—John 15:8
Stay attached.
Stay held.
Stay whole.
Where do you sense a fraying in your connection with the Lord right now—and what might obedience look like in that place?
Jesus, forgive us for the ways our connection with You has frayed through neglect, delay, or quiet resistance. Restore what feels thin, strengthen what has weakened, and help us remain vitally united to You through loving obedience, so our lives may stay held, whole, and fruitful for the glory of the Father. Amen.
As you sit with that today, may you hear His invitation not to strive, but simply to remain.
Em 💛
If you want to explore further how you can stay Tethered to Truth then you can download this free 38-page workbook here.
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Yes! My pastor often quotes Eugene Peterson: "Long term obedience in the same direction". In my experience this is greatly helped by staying connected with a grace-filled faith community.
Thank you for replying. There are many pastors who I listen to that present a message that might last for almost an hour: Chuck Swindoll, David Jeremiah. and Charles Stanley. There is also a pastor at a Methodist church in Saginaw who I can listen to and want more. Her passion, eloquence, and preparation are amazing and effective. Your comment does reveal to me your own passion to share the Word. That will engage your audience. I have heard several Lutheran pastors who leave people wondering what they said. Awful. Continue to share the Precious Word with warmth, meaning, clarity, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. -Ray in Michigan-