Do you ever take the time just to sit and think about the world and the wonder of being alive? In those times we can reflect on old memories, make plans for the future, or simply enjoy the sounds of life all around us. We all need time for sittin’ and thinkin.’
Recently, I was pondering the wonder of electronics and the strides made in this industry within the last few decades. I never fully understood how electricity is captured from the sky and runs through wires in order to light our homes and buildings. I can’t imagine having the ability to understand the workings of a computer or a cell phone…wireless ones especially. God must have given this ability to a selected few and left the rest of us out.
Then my thoughts turned to the internet and this so-called virtual world most of us like to spend time in. What exactly has drawn so many to this cyber space filled with information and data? Through the internet we can virtually visit anywhere we might wish to go. The Seven Wonders of the World are at our fingertips. We can pull up pictures of our childhood home and see what it looks like today. Is there anything this virtual world can’t do?
Then I remembered that I used to say the internet was the devil’s playground, and wanted nothing to do with it. My thoughts turned to Jesus. Right after He was baptized by John the Baptist, Satan came along and took Him into the wilderness where He was tempted for forty days and nights. No food, no water…just constant tempting by the devil to give in and give up His faith in God the Father and worship him.
Satan took Jesus to the top of a mountain and showed Him the wonders of the world below.
“All this can be yours.” Satan said. “if you will bow your knee and worship me.”
Jesus replied, “Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and hm only shalt thou serve.”
I wondered, is the virtual world of the internet like what Satan showed to Jesus? Are we being offered this today so we will be willing to give up on the real world…on God? The more time we spend on it, the more powerful it’s pull is to spend even more. Minutes and hours are being wasted in cyber space that could better be spent enjoying the real world, interacting with real people, and sharing our faith with those who need to hear.
Let’s not waste our time on useless games, social media, and the internet…but let’s do take a few minutes now and then to do some sittin’ and thinkin.’
