”He sends out His command to the earth; His word runs very swiftly” (Ps. 147:15).
In 2010, Apple released the iPad and it quickly became the standard for tablet computing. The accolades poured in for Apple. What many didn’t realize is that the concept of tablet computing had been around since the 1960s when Steve Jobs was just a boy. His genius was in taking something that was being developed for specific markets and making it mainstream. You see, people have been trying to be more mobile in their technology for decades.
The fact that mobile computing is exploding at an insane rate is undeniable. Tablets and smartphones now outsell desktops and laptops by hundreds of millions. It’s rare to walk into any public place and not see people texting, surfing, or talking on a mobile device.
This new attachment to technology has an impact on us as Christians. There are some truly positive things about mobile computing. I can take the Word of God with me wherever I go and can have multiple versions, commentaries, and good books all in my pocket. If I am thinking about someone the Lord brings to mind, I can pray for them and send them a quick text or email to encourage them. If there is an urgent prayer request, I can receive notice of it wherever I am and start praying right away. These are just a few of the advantages of mobile computing in the Christian life.
One of the biggest dangers of having technology constantly with us is how much time it demands. A woman said to me recently (as I was sending a text message), “I see you are into technology, too, like my husband. At 7 am, he is on that thing; and it drives me nuts.” I have to admit that when I wake up I do check my phone (which also acts as my alarm) for emails or texts. Going without my phone for a day is unthinkable. Then one morning it hit me: “What if you misplaced your Bible for a day?” Ouch, that one hurt! But it’s so true. Would I be panicking about where it is and the effects of its absence on my life? Would it have any impact on me at all?
In Matthew, we read of an incident in the life of the Lord. In chapter 14, verse 23, it says, “And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.” Why was He alone? In the gospels, we are given several reasons such as prayer, grief, and refreshing. He had been with the multitudes and taught them. He was connected to their souls all day, but now it was time to be alone. As I applied this to my life, the Lord said to me, “Why don’t you ever get alone?” It was a question that made me uncomfortable. The Lord knew exactly what I needed to hear.
Reality check: I am not so important that the world needs constant access to me, and spending time alone with the Lord is infinitely more valuable than being connected 24/7 to this world. Are you with me, technophiles? Maybe it’s time to take a look at our connected time and turn off the technology when we don’t need it. Maybe it’s time we spend more of our daily lives purposefully disconnected from the multitudes and more connected to the most amazing Person in the universe. I know one thing is certain—He would love it if we did!
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