Recently, my cell phone battery died unexpectedly and I began to panic. “What if someone calls and needs me…….what if someone sends an email that needs an immediate response…….what if……..” After a few minutes of losing my mind over inability to use my phone, reality set in. I remember my life before cell phones. There was riding in the car in silence or choosing to listen to the radio. While sitting in a church service, I didn’t have something on my side vibrating and screaming for my attention as I attempted to listen to the weekly sermon or enjoy a moment of worship. To maintain relationships, I was required (and the other person involved) to set a date to spend time together face-to-face. Don’t get me wrong, cell phones have yielded themselves as a great invention of the twentieth century–when used properly. These cellular devices offer millions of uses at the press of a button. When my battery died I was forced to find an energy source to recharge it. As I waited for the battery setting to change from red to green I found myself thinking, “THIS IS RIDICULOUS!” What I viewed as a need really wasn’t a need at all. It was more of a desire. And that little piece of silicone and plastic had gained control of me, rather than the other way around.
Society has placed such an importance on these and other technological devices. If these items were to become obsolete, our lives would still continue. Maybe not as comfortably, but we would live. John 15:5-8 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” To charge a cell phone, you must have an energy source. For the believer, God must become the Source of all we are. Please don’t think I’m bashing cell phones. I won’t be getting rid of mine any time soon. Technological items are helpful and can be a wonderful addition to our lives– but we could survive without them. If our batteries aren’t charged, we are nothing. Apart from God, we’re helpless. Like those devices I just spoke about, we must purpose stay plugged into the source of energy to maintain a charge. Without it, our battery will become depleted and we will be of no use for the kingdom.
Closing remarks and encouragement: We spend so much time placing our attention on things with no genuine value. I have no doubt most of us would rush home after realizing we’d forgotten our phone at home. How do we react when we realize our relationship with our Heavenly Father is lacking? Is there an urgency to get into our word, pray, and spend moments of intimacy with Him? There should be. He’s the real source! Let focus on what’s important, my friends. Hundreds of things will scream for our attention every single day. But what is really important? Lets find our source and get plugged in today!
Have a blessed week, my friends!