world tends to reinforce the need for control over
all of the personal demands for our time and enjoyment?
Think about it, we seem to be a nation of people plugged
into gadgets such as iPods, compulsively reading/sending
text messages, constantly checking voice mail messages
or the caller id display to see who's calling, constantly
flicking the button of the television remote control to
skip ahead in what appears to be a never ending
display of obsessive control attempts.
Yet, have you ever heard of someone you know or
perhaps even yourself say "...if only I had more time?"
Isn't is somewhat a paradox that all of those gadgets
were originally sold to us as ways to actually save time
and to help put us back in control over our time and
daily lives?
It seems the more we attempt to be in control, the
less control we actually wind up getting.
I was reminded of this morning as God touch my
heart with this message I share with you now. You
see as I was reading the notes from this morning's
sermon, I dropped my PDA phone on the ground
which caused the battery, secure digital card, &
battery casing to go flying across the pavement
of the driveway.
Instinctively, the first though which popped into
my mind was what would happen if I lost all of
those years of data, personal contact addresses, etc.
- Will I be late for an appointment?
- Will I miss an important assignment at work?
Sooner or later we all face unpredictable, uncontrollable,
& frustrating circumstances beyond our control.
Well, the good Lord does hold the right to give and take
away, but what I was reminded of was just how fragile
things ("gadgets") really are and how much we've become
reliant on them. But, what really struck me by this "nudge"
was I felt a reminder to not hold too much stock in the
things of this world.
Even moreso, to not become to reliant on those things
as they really do not matter. I'll confess, we all did quite
well prior to the age ofthe internet, cell phones, iPods,
Tivo, and what ever the latest electronic gizmos the
advertisers and our friends tells us we absolutely can
not survive without.
However, what has been one of the most important
constants through out all of that time period in our
lives is the need to be connected to God's love. The
daily devotion to living a life of faith in Christ and
knowing that God is the only entity which is fully in
control in and over our lives.
Despite the technological wizardry of all of these
supposed "time saving" devices, they are surely
no match what so ever in putting our lives back
in control as placing our faith in the Lord!
So, the message today is simply an opportunity
for those who sense that all that is actually totally
out of control in this world can not be solved by
what is advertised on the television, newspaper,
& the radio.
That message being comprised of two simple truths:
- Trust God to work in our lives to bring order, hope, & peace out of chaos.
- With God's help we can always control only one thing - ourselves.
Dear Lord, I humbly ask that you instill in my heart a sense of peace &
faithfulness to be reminded that you are fully in control of my live.
I accept your divine guidance and loving forgiveness of my sins and pray
that others who come in contact with this posting will allow you to touch
their hearts in a similar way so that they too will deeply understand how
your glory will bring peace in their lives from the surrounding chaos.
Amen.
"...He existed before everything else began, and he holds
all creation together."
Colossians 1:15-17 (TLB)
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