Luke 5:12-16 (ESV)
12 While he was in one of the cities, there came a man full
of leprosy. And when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and begged him, “Lord,
if you will, you can make me clean.” 13 And Jesus stretched out his hand and
touched him, saying, “I will; be clean.” And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 And he charged him to tell no one, but “go and show yourself to the priest,
and make an offering for your cleansing, as Moses commanded, for a proof to
them.” 15 But now even more the report about him went abroad, and great crowds
gathered to hear him and to be healed of their infirmities. 16 But he would
withdraw to desolate places and pray.
How attached are you to your phone? Intentionally or unintentionally we can all
become waaaayyy too dependent on technology.
Our phones, computers, tablets, etc. can serve some really good purposes
in our lives. They make it easy for us to communicate, track our schedules,
stay on top of assignments and responsibilities, give us access to all kinds of
entertainment, information, and more. It’s not all bad. It’s not all good, either.
We all find ourselves detaching from people around us to
check our phones. It’s almost a compulsive urge we developed over time. Even when we’re alone we still feel the need
to take out our phones and do a quick check of our notifications – especially
when our phone dings or vibrates.
That’s the downside of technology for us. It’s great to stay connected, but it’s not
always great to be instantly accessible.
The constant notifications on our phones can make it feel like we’re in
a crowded place even when we’re physically alone. Sometimes we just need time to
ourselves. Time to get away and
recharge.
Solitude and silence were a significant element of Jesus’
ministry. He often withdrew from the crowds and went into the wilderness to pray
(Luke 5:16).
If we want to reconnect with God, taking a “digital fast”
could be a great idea. Take some time to read a few examples of moments Jesus
took to be alone. Why would that time be
important to Him? How could having those
same kinds of quiet moments help us in our relationship with God?
Dear Lord, help us to have the zeal for You like we do for
our phone or computer. Give us the strength to take time to be alone with You.
In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
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