Are we more connected to our cell phones than God?

Water spilled in my purse recently and my cell phone took a swim for an hour before I discovered it. Even several hours later, when my son shook the phone, water came out of the ports and made water spots on his shorts.

There I was; The device I use for all scheduling and planning and communicating…out of service.

I didn’t panic.

There have been a few times in the last year when my entire to-do list was wiped out by accident in the Notes portion of my phone. I have been intentionally practicing this response when it happens: Stay calm. Jesus and you are going to walk this day out together like you used to do in the old days when you didn’t have this device. You have the Spirit of God in you, Laurie, and you are going to rely on Him to show you everything to do as you need to remember it. I am glad I have been practicing that response because losing the entire phone was much more serious than losing just my to-do list.

I took care of matters quickly.

I was most worried about being cut off from family members and a few close friends that I communicate with daily. Strangely, I wasn’t so much worried that I wouldn’t speak to them for a few days but that they would think I was rude if I didn’t respond. I didn’t want my reputation of responding faithfully to be tarnished. (That needs to be analyzed, I know, but not today.)

In quick succession, I communicated with my husband about whether or not to upgrade, purchased a phone, and was back in communication 48 hours later. It took two trips to the phone store on my way into work…and money, of course.

And I have been wondering….

• Am I this intentional and swift when God and I aren’t doing well?
• Am I this concerned when I don’t get a chance to communicate with God first thing in the morning before I set out to live the day?
• Do I miss communicating with God as much as I missed communicating with my family and a few friends?
• Was I just as worried that God would think me rude when He didn’t hear from me?
• Does 48 hours seem as long when I don’t talk with God as it does when I don’t have a phone?

I certainly found time to get to the phone store when I needed to, even though I am “busy.”

• Do I find the time to be with God and serve God because I can’t live without Him…because I need to be with Him?
• Do I find time to attend church in the same way I made time for the store when I was in need?

I am pondering these questions, and I can’t help but think we can all ponder these questions for a bit…

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. (John 15:5)

We have nothing without God. We have no power to produce any specific result from our action. We need to be in communication with Him constantly and take care of matters quickly when that communication is broken.

Do we live like that is true?

Picture Explanation: I love these two people to pieces. They are not in full-time Christian work by title, but fifty years ago they started opening up their basement to local high school students every Friday night. I was one of those students in the 70’s.

And they never stopped.

Fifty years later these two are still in love with each other and serving Jesus as strongly as ever. He owns a business, pastors a church, and they have five children and a slew of grandchildren. Today they also serve middle school students and are about to break ground on a building for elementary-aged students as well.

This weekend they hosted a 50 year reunion.

Ron and Marcia raised me in the faith. Because of their influence, I dedicated the People portion of my book to them. They taught me to care about people’s souls and taught me that I don’t need a formal title to live a meaningful life of service investing in peoples’ lives for Jesus Christ. You don’t need one either.

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