UNTECHNOLOGICAL GOD

"This program has performed an illegal operation and must be shut down. We apologize for any inconvenience".

Don't you just love getting those messages when you are right in the middle of something on your computer?

Yesterday I had composed an email to my daughter, lamenting the frigid temperatures predicted for the end of the week. We are planning a trip for a scrapbook retreat this coming weekend...something we look forward to and plan for ALL year long. It was more of a funny message than a serious one which was a good thing because when I brought up my computer this morning I had one of those obnoxious little messages like the one above saying that my OUTLOOK EXPRESS had shut down. Hence, my message to her did not GO! Thankfully, it was nothing urgent!

It made me think though. How often our marvelous new technology goes south! This same daughter has just had a horrible week with her computer. After loading new memory that she received for CHRISTmas, her computer crashed...died....dead as doornail! No reprieve. Gone. So she buys a new one only to have it crash and burn after loading her virus protection software. Can you spell N-I-G-H-T-M-A-R-E??

Thankfully, with the help of a friend and Best Buy manager, she got a new one and now all is working well. But for several days she was without her computer, something she uses every single day.

In this age, we've come to rely heavily upon our technological devices. One can scarcely drive down the street without seeing at least every other person driving and talking on their cell phones. Walking through a store, one can see any number of people appearing to be talking to themselves, having the most animated conversations. Only when you finally see the little device stuck in their ear do you realize that they are not mentally disturbed.

Now, with the advent of the iphone, the madness has gotten even worse. They are, without a doubt, very ingenious devices and can do so many different things. But I've also noticed that those who have them are somewhat obscessed with them. They are CONSTANTLY checking them, afraid that they have missed not only a phone call or text but now they can check their email, FACEBOOK or twitter updates constantly so that they do not miss ANYTHING going on with all their friends and family. Even last Sunday the man sitting next to me in church was using it to shine a light on his Bible!! Not that that was a bad thing, but then seconds later he was surfing through the gadget doing other things as well. Hopefully, he was a great multi-tasker (though that is very uncommon among men) and was not only keeping up with the latest news, weather and twitter updates, but was also looking at a Bible commentary ap as well.

I am not opposed to technology. On the contrary I really like it and I'm amazed by all that these latest gadgets can do. I'm sure I'd be as bad as the rest with an iphone if I had one. Probably a good reason NOT to get one! But the only problem is that they are great as long as they work. But...when the inevitable happens and they don't...oh my, how it disrupts our world!

Computers malfunctioning at home are catastrophic enough, but when a computer that controls an airport or a train station shuts down, it creates mass havoc. Remember the grid shutdown a few years ago? And when there is a national disaster and the phone lines are all jammed, people are in a virtual panic, trying to reach loved ones.

Aren't you glad that we do not have to rely on technology to communicate with God? We never have to worry about His system crashing. We never have to worry that His lines will be jammed. We never have to worry that we won't be able to get a signal or that our "roaming" will fail. There is never the possibility that signals will get crossed and our GPS to finding Him will lead us to the wrong god.

No, with God the lines of communication are always open, day or night no matter where on the planet you are. Even if you are in outer space, God can still be reached. After all, He is the Master Designer so He can tune in to you from anywhere!

You will never get a busy signal. You will never be shut down in mid-sentence. You will never be told you are the 12th caller in line, that you may choose to hang on or call back later. You will never reach an answering machine.

When you want to talk to God, all you have to do is call Him up. Want to know his phone number? Here it is: Jeremiah 33:3 "Call unto me and I will answer and show you great and mighty things which you know not." He will hear you, He will listen and He will respond.

Why not turn off your cell, unplug you iPod, turn off your iphone and shut down your computer and give Him a call? I'm sure He'd be delighted to hear from you.