Today’s Daily Bread ~ It’s for you…It’s God.

Jeremiah 33:2-3 – This is what the LORD says, He who made the earth, the LORD who formed it and established it–the LORD is His name: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

I am so blessed to have such a wonderful relationship with my parents.  I moved to Texas at their urging, about a year after they did.  It was the best decision of my life.

I’m very close to both of them.  My dad and I in particular have much in common…and we’ve both had a good laugh at the way my mom resists technology.  She’s dug her heels in on almost everything most of us can’t live without – cell phone packages that offer more than 20 minutes a month, caller id, laptop computers and social media, just to name a few.  But this past weekend, she finally gave in on a big one – text messaging.

Poor mom – she claims it’s the only way she can get in touch with me and my sisters anymore, since none of us answer the phone (she’s partially right, but that’s only because the second I answer the phone, the kids drop what they’re doing and simultaneously and very LOUDLY demand my undivided attention.  Therefore, I’d rather text).  So on Sunday afternoon, my dad took her to get a new phone.  Welcome to the 21st century, mom.

The whole thing has me thinking.  We, and by “we” I mean society as a whole, really don’t talk on the phone much anymore.  A recent article from USA Today gave some interesting statistics on it.  Folks are switching their plans around.  Instead of unlimited minutes and 500 texts, we’re going for unlimited texts and hardly any minutes.  Psychologists and sociologists worry about the effects of the text phenomenon.  It changes the way we communicate, so it changes our relationships.  It also creates a sense of entitlement for instant gratification.  Are we demanding the same of God?

God has given us his phone number – Jeremiah 33:3 (I stole that from Pastor Jack Hibbs – Calvery Chapel Chino Hills in SoCal).  He wants us to call to Him.  He wants a good, old-fashioned relationship.  The kind that takes time and effort to develop. 

Facebook, twitter and the rest of the social media sites give us a false sense of connectedness, a whole host of virtual relationships.  “Not good enough,” says God.  He wants the real deal. 

Think about the cross.  The very reason that Jesus walked with us on earth was so that we could know Him, and know a greater love than we could ever imagine.  The Jews of that day (and before) knew God, but not intimately.  Only a priest could go into the Holiest of Holies, and that was only one day a year.  God wanted more.  God wants you.

We live in an incredible era of escalation.  Technology changes so quickly that I don’t blame my mother for holding out.  Forget cell phones – when she was a child they had party lines (sorry, mom)!  Now more than ever we must cling to the One who does not change.  We must know His character, and the only way to do this is through time spent with Him.  It is not enough to simply “like” a page that says, “’like’ if you love Jesus.”  We need to know His Word, because society challenges it daily.  We need to know the depth of His love for us and believe His promises, so we can be faithful to Him. 
 
I have spent enough time with Jesus to know that I can’t last a moment without Him.  Not one single moment.  And He is faithful.  Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, “In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me in earnest, you will find me when you seek me.”

We move at such a frantic pace.  Peace is so scarce.  Isaiah writes, “You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, whose thoughts are fixed on You (Isaiah 26:3).  This can’t be accomplished by one hour a week on Sunday, and a nightly prayer before we drift off to sleep.  God wants to lavish you with love, cover you in grace and bless you in abundance…but He can only bless what You give Him.  He can only give you grace if you accept it.  He can only love you if you let Him.

Dear Heavenly Father, how we need You.  More than ever, God.  We feel You beckoning us, and yet we race off to do this or that, bumping you down on our list of priorities until we scarcely feel Your Presence.  Please forgive us for this, God.  Please convict us.  There is no peace without You.  God, we ask You to bless our time and multiply it.  Bless our faith and grow it.  Increase our dependence on You, because we can do nothing without You.  Help us to be bold ambassadors for Christ, drawing others in to know Your grace and love.  We love You so much, and we ask these things in the beautiful name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  Amen.