Posts tagged with ‘christianity’
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The Internet and Facebook
I run to the computer. If I’m stressed, angry, depressed, bored it’s to the computer I go. To check my email (again, and again, and again), mindlessly go on Facebook, read look at my feeds, or go on Mothering forums.
Some people run to their TV, others run to people, others text. A few run to Christ when they’re stressed and I long for that to be true for me.
I always thought that the internet was stopping me from running to Christ. Take away the internet and I’d be free. But the more and more cold-turkey trials I do, or the more that I think about it, it really just boils down to a heart issue. If it wasn’t the internet it’d be something else. If I lived in the 18th century it’d be knitting, or cleaning or something else that is less addicting than Facebook. It’s all the same, even with the Israelites. They ran to actual “physical” gods while I run to cyber space (which I suppose is a god too).
So now that I’ve determined my problem (a.k.a. my heart) what do I do about things like the internet and Facebook? Do I tear out my right eye? But if it’s a heart problem I can’t remove everything. Do I keep them because of their usefulness? But, really, how useful is Facebook? What, I can comment on pictures of people that I already know? To keep in contact with people that I really don’t care about anyway? I can spy on people’s more flamboyant sins by looking at their photos? Sigh.
I’ve removed TV from my life and I have to say that I’ve never once, ever, ever regretted it. I don’t need to be able to chat with people about what happened in the latest Lost episode in order to love them. Is Facebook different? Is the internet different?
I guess the real question has to do with time. I spend SO much time on the computer. Is a shallow relationship with God really worth my name on Facebook?
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Bitter Sweet
I feel like the Christian walk is bitter-sweet. I was thinking about this on Sunday because it was the only way that I could describe worship that night. Trying to work out your salvation is extremely bitter because it requires a lot of death. You must continually die to yourself and get as much of “you” out of you so that more of Christ can fit in. Any sinful desire, thought, and notion has to be taken captive and then smothered. At times it’s near exhausting (especially/only if you’re not relying on God’s grace, which is 90% of the time for me) and I can understand why so many people are asleep.
However the actual communion with God, the one-on-one time where you’ve finally begun to believe that my sin is actually forgiven and I don’t have to say “I’m sorry!” to God over and over again in order to pay penance, is extremely sweet. Kind of like those few times in worship (should it be more?) where you can actually feel God’s presence and all you can do is hold your breath. And then I think about wine and how it’s so awfully bitter but can be sweet at the same time; I understand a little bit more why Christ chose wine to be the symbol of his blood.
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24 Hour Prayer Gathering 8/22/08 @ EFC in Huntingon Valley
It’s been quite awhile since I posted anything and unfortunately this is not going to be a significant update (for all of you waiting desperately for the continuation of the to focus series, you’ll just have to wait, but rest assured I’ve got ideas cooking currently), however I just want to make sure that I take my part in publicizing this event.
A buddy of ours, Nathan Eckel, published the first little bit that I’ve heard of this event. Some friends of ours who are members of Body Builders Ministry (don’t get freaked out, it’s the body as in Christ’s body, not as in Muscle Magazine) are I assume going to be hosting the event, as their church, EFC, is the one pictured in Nathan’s post about the event. Click through to find out more details.
I think this is really pretty darn cool. This region needs as much prayer as possible (as does every other region) and I think the consensus in the body around here is that God is interested in breaking through, provided we meet him in prayer. Hopefully this event goes very well.
Pray for me that I would be able to settle in adequately to my new life in Norristown that I can get back to my writing and everything else that has been a tremendous pleasure in my life.
Love you all.
