Once before you go to class, once after class, another before going to the café, maybe again before your late class, and then again before bedtime. The average American, aged 8 to 18, spends more than seven and a half hours a day on computers, television, smart phones and other electronic devices.[1] These devices clearly have a hold on our lives, creating a new stressor for ourselves.
If someone asked the reasons for getting on the internet so many times in a day, what would you say? That you had to update that Facebook status, or needed to check that email to make sure class wasn’t cancelled (even though it is a hopeless cause because that class is never cancelled)? Maybe you needed to do some online shopping or check out Maroon 5’s latest hit? Now I couldn’t find any statistic about the number of times Christians click that mouse on Internet Explorer, but what would your number be?
It doesn’t seem that being on the internet would have anything to do with our relationship with God; however what’s our priority? I think when most of us think of the Ten Commandments, we imagine these stone hedges of rules about what to do and what not to do. As a sixth grader, I can remember in my confirmation class my pastor was going over the Ten Commandments. He listed them off and a checklist formed in my head. As he went through each commandment, I thought, okay, I’m guilty of that one, guilty of that one, that one too. But when he said, “You shall have no other gods,” I thought, alright, finally one I’m not guilty of. I was assuming that because I didn’t worship a false statue god that I was innocent of that sin.
However as my pastor began to explain the first commandment, he said that idols can be anything that we put before God, including but not limited to, television, clothes, and even the internet. We are called to live our lives with Jesus that the forefront and worldly things behind us. When Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees with what the most important commandment was, “Jesus answered: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind” (Matthew 22:37, CEV).
When we allow these worldly fascinations come before our relationship with our Savior, we are cluttering our lives and not loving Him to the fullest extent. “A relationship with God simply cannot grow when money, sins, activities, favorite sports, addictions, or commitments are piled on top of it.”[2] Today we have so many different things pulling us in all directions, whether it’s from our schoolwork, relationships, or jobs. Those things are necessarily bad, but we need to manage our time.
Have you ever had assignments pilling up in every class, work to go to, as well as dealing with friendship drama, and by the time you were about to close your eyes to sleep, you realized you hadn’t talked to God all day? We all manage our time around our work schedules, school schedules and fun activities, but how many times have we said, “Okay God, today is all for you” and when anything came up it wouldn’t interrupt those plans?
Please watch the following music video. TobyMac’s song discusses the difference between worldly things and being of God. Reflect on this as you watch.
Open your Bibles and read 1 John 2:15-17, Colossians 3:2, and Deuteronomy 4:15-20. What in your life is keeping you from falling deeper in love with Christ? What can you do to rid yourself of worldly desires? Ask God for His strength and guidance to get past those things.
Please read: “So love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and strength. Memorize his laws and tell them to your children over and over again. Talk about them all the time, whether you’re at home or walking along the road or going to bed at night, or getting up in the morning. Write down copies and tie them to your wrists and foreheads to help you obey them” (Deut. 6:5-8, CEV). This week I challenge you to write “His Love Above All” on your wrist or hand. When you see the message, reflect on how you’re managing your time around God and take a moment to pray for guidance. If someone sees the message and asks, tell them what God has taught you about His love. Who knows, this could be a chance for you to talk about your faith with someone that needs it.
Please take the time to pray about how you can increase your love for Christ this week and reach out to new people.
I'm enjoying your blog!!! Hope to receive comments about my wrist this week :)
ReplyDeleteI really like the song and I especially liked the 1 John 2:15ff passage. I think this passage of scripture really hit home with me when I was in college. Up to that time in my life I can say I was driven by my ambitions. An even though my ambitions were to some degree noble – “I wanted to help people through their legal problems so I world would be more just.” My ambitions were also mixed with some selfishness and the big problem like this devotional said – God’s will for me was not first. When something seemed to get in the way of my ambition – I blamed God or got angry with God for not doing things my way. What arrogance! The reality was I and what I wanted was more important to me than What God wanted and desired for me. So – even good things can become an idol.
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