What if God Was a Smart Phone?

I knew it would happen sooner or later.

It was a matter of time before God took my cell phone out.

I needed a wake up call because in many ways my iphone had too much “I” in it. It was the center of my attention daily, whether it be through texting, facebook messages, tweeting or emails. I was constantly focused on my phone when I could have been more focused on God. One day while having lunch with a friend, she sharply said, “Put that cell phone away and don’t take it back out again until we’re done.”

Ouch.

She was right. I needed balance, but couldn’t pull myself away from the addiction to communication. I was living out what Paul struggled with in Romans 7:

“For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.”

More simply put, I was aware that I was over the top with my phone but didn’t correct the behavior. So after my quiet time on Saturday morning, I turned on the phone and there was

Nothing.

The screen was blank and I remembered I’d dropped the phone in the bathroom earlier that morning. The impact with the hard tile floor was enough to knock the screen out.

So what did I do? Did I turn away from the evil of technology and give up my smart phone?

Sadly, no.

While I knew it was a message from God, I was still desperate to fix the phone.

I blew off my workout, hurriedly got dressed and headed to the Apple emergency room to see if the phone could be revived.

On the way my thoughts were consumed by iphone worry.  What if they couldn’t fix it? Could I afford a new one? What if I had to leave the phone to be repaired? Could I run my errands near the Apple Store?

I could figure out where those places are if I had my phone.

I braved the Saturday hysteria at the Apple store, a place I would have normally avoided on a weekend, but it was worth the hassle to be connected again. I waited an hour and a half in a sea of people, many of whom were hoping for a good prognosis like I was. I was bored, and thought If I had my phone, I could keep myself busy while I wait. Wait a second, I wouldn’t be here if I had my phone!

Finally, the Apple tech emerged with good news. My phone had made it through surgery. It was alive again, but for a price.

I was grateful, but now that all was well, I was beginning to feel the conviction about my phone obsession again. When I got in the car to return home, I don’t think it was any coincidence the song playing on the radio was by the David Crowder Band, “How He Loves.” The world stopped when the first line sang out, “He is jealous for me”

Nailed.

God was reminding me he is jealous for my undivided attention.

I wondered what it would be like if we treated God like we treated our smart phones?

Would we be desperate to stay connected with him?

Would we be anxious to see what he had to say to us?

Would we carry him around with us 24-7?

Would he be the first person we talked with in the morning?

If our connection was severed for some reason, would we drop everything and make it a priority to get it back?

Would we not be able to make it without him?

Anything that takes the place of God is an idol, even a phone. When we spend more time thinking about that thing or person, we elevate it over God.

Is there something that has consumed your focus recently?

Technology?

Television?

A family situation?

A hobby?

God loves you and he is jealous for you. He doesn’t want you to put anything or any person before him. If you are guilty, pray this prayer along with me and let’s put God back where he belongs:

Lord, forgive us for not keeping you in your rightful place in my life. Help us to put you at the center of our thoughts and actions during the day. When something or someone else consumes us, may your Holy Spirit immediately make us aware so we can repent and become centered again. Thank you for removing things from our lives to get our attention when we fall away from you. We praise you for your gentle correction. In the name of Jesus, we pray, AMEN