TruthPoints

03.26.08

Get a Grip

There was a very interesting article in the January 2008 Reader’s Digest that caught my attention.  The article was entitled, “Don’t Be Overwhelmed by Technology – Get a Grip”.  In it, Ron Geraci gave several facts that shined light on the potential problem of information overload.

*       The average American worker receives 108 e-mails every day.

*       243 million Americans own cell phones or hand-held wireless devices.

*       Google currently indexes more than 3 billion web pages.

*       We now get more information in 72 hours than our parents received in a month.

*       The ability to multi-task is really a myth.

From a Pastor’s perspective, I am forced to ask, “What effect is this information society having on our spiritual lives?  Is it helping or hindering?  Is this constant stream of information and communication keeping us from the most important communication of all – communication and communion with our Lord, Jesus Christ?”

I am not sure about anyone else but, for me, if I start checking my e-mail and answering phone calls the first thing in the morning, before I spend time with the Lord, it becomes very difficult to have any real quality time with Him.  From that point on, my mind is too distracted to give Christ my undivided attention. 

My suggestion is that the Lord should be given the first and best moments of each day – before you go to the phone or the computer.  By the way, you do not have to answer every call immediately.  You do have Voice Mail, right?

In his book, “Into the Depths of God”, author Calvin Miller makes these poignant remarks, “To use time without regard for God is indeed to lose it.  To be with God mandates that we give our life to become one who waits on God for the sheer pleasure of His company”.

My prayer for each of us today is that we make time, each morning, to be with our Lord – for “the sheer pleasure of His company”.  Christ misses that time with us when we allow communication to and from others to be more important than time spent with Him. 

The Apostle Paul put it this way, “See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil”.  (Ephesians. 5:15-16 NKJV)  As we would say today, “Get a grip”.  Get a grip on your time spent alone with Christ and you will enjoy a depth of relationship like you have never known.

Have a blessed day,

Pastor David