Overflowing Attachment

September 10, 2015

Overflowing Attachment

Jesus asked, “Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?” Then he pointed to his disciples and said, “Look, these are my mother and brothers.

Matthew 12:48-49

The sin of attachments: how many people do you need? I recall a class I was taking on pastoral care. The teacher led us in an exercise where we were simulating having to cut our attachments to things as well as goals and ambitions and finally people. The last part of the exercise called for us to step into the shoes of a person with a terminal illness, and as they would have to do at the end of their life, let go of our attachment to the one person for whom we have never doubted their love. It was an excruciating experience with lots of tears in the class. My friend sitting next to me was paralyzed by grief, and could not bring himself to simulate cutting that final attachment.

Some people have misinterpreted Jesus’ teachings, and believe we are called to avoid all attachments to people. Actually, Jesus calls us to love others with the very same love that he has for us. Jesus couldn’t endure the cross without an abiding attachment to those for whom he died! Jesus calls us to be attached to one another, after we first have eternally bound ourselves to our God who loves us and gave himself for us. Some folks miss this first step.

If we are not first bound to God, we mistakenly believe that we can meet our needs for love, acceptance and self-worth through our interactions, our relationships, and our attachments to others. That’s like trying to quench our thirst by drinking salt water; it’s not going to happen! However, when we are first attached to God in Christ Jesus, our cup overflows with his everlasting love and affection for us. It is this overflow that we get to offer into the lives of the people for whom we relate in this mortal world.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;

The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:

Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;

The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,

His kingdom is forever.

 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

Verse Four

Martin Luther

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription.

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.