Post written by Mark Rogers
Almost everyone in any twentieth century generation has at one time or another played “connect the dots”. And if you played it quite a bit, sometimes the urge to connect the dots out of order, or to leave out some just to see what would show up would produce a distorted picture. When any dots were left out or connected out of order, it was clear that the picture turned out to be something that was not intended by the author of the game.
A few years into my Christian journey and after having served God for a while, I began to see an interesting pattern develop in the world directly around me; the part of the world that I influenced by my service to Christ, or my lack of it. I began to realize that no one act of service to Christ stood by itself, but that God, knowing all things from beginning to end was systematically connecting each task that He assigned. I began to realize that God was connecting the dots of each act of service to Him. Having now been a Christian for over 27 years, I can look back and see the remarkable connection that God has made between acts of service that happened many years ago, to events taking place in my life right now. In other words I can see the clear picture that God has drawn with my life by connecting the dots.
Knowing that every act of service to Christ is connected to others, we must wonder in those times when we’re disobedient, how many dots God has to leave out. We must wonder how much we in our disobedience are causing what could be a beautiful picture that God is drawing to become distorted or incomplete because we did not take up the task He required of us. How many answers to prayer have we delayed, how many times has God had to go to somebody else to do what was uniquely assigned to us?
As long as we draw breath, God is never done with us. He’ll continue to connect the dots of His will for our lives as we’re obedient to Him. The key in finishing our lives with a clear and beautiful drawing is to simply take up the tasks that God has given us and walk in obedience to His will.
Looking back, what dots in your life can you identify that God has connected to draw the picture of your life in Christ?
