To Be...Captured
September 17
Glance at all in the Old Testament and you are going to read about battles and captivity. The Israelites were not strangers to what it means to be captured. Google a time line of their history and time and time again they were taken into captivity and still suffer grave persecution to this day.
One definition of capture on my computer dictionary says: take into one's possession.
Out for my morning walk, I was wishing I didn't have to have in my possession my cumbersome phone. Since the stroke I've learned the importance of having it close by, but it is intrusive. Ding! And you feel like you have to look.
It has become an instrument of instant gratification and escape for our society. When you don't want to be bothered or need a quick exit you can excuse yourself with the simple "I've got a call" comment. When you need a happy thought click on Instagram or Facebook (for seldom do people post the trials of real life).
Our pastor recently share in a sermon how cellphones and social media allow people to
1) get attention everywhere
2) always be heard
3) feel like they are never alone
Those are all experiences which can be had with Jesus. He's always listening, God's always watching and He will never leave us. The sad thing is that so much of the time we could be spending in relationship with the Lord, has been captured by our phones.
We must guard not only our hearts, but our time.
"What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you-guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us." 2 Timothy 1:13-14
All that said, it's nice that our prayer requests are only a click away on our phones, that the Bible, praise music, our prayer lists and great sermons are all stored right there in that little phone. We just need to set it down occasionally!
