Connected Much??

I’m only 39 years old (with a few years of experience) and yet I can remember the good ole’ days when there was no such thing as the Internet, cell phones, iPods, mp3 players, iPhone, Facebook and Crackberry (oops…Blackberry) .

And yet now I can’t imagine trying to live life without them.  I struggle with tearing myself away from technology (just ask my wife and kids).

It’s so humorous when talking to teens and you mention 8 tracks, cassette tapes and Betamax…they look at you with this glazed look. They cannot even imagine a world without all this digital stuff. In fact, they are at the point where iPods and cell phones are relics of the past. They definitely don’t know a world without MySpace and Facebook and Twitter.

I think it’s exciting to live in such a connected, digital age. I’m amazed the speed of communication and the immediacy of information. As a youth pastor I can’t imagine a world without Google, Wikipedia, and Bible Software. God is using the tools of this age to spread the love of Christ & the Gospel in ways never before imagined.

But there is a catch to all of this connectivity.  This weekend  Brett Ullman (RENOV8 Conference) will  once again be reminding us about my generation and the generation of young people I work with.

My concern is that we may become so connected digitally to our online friends and online activities, to our phones and our music players, that we disconnect ourselves from what’s really important.

No gadget or gizmo can replace the power of relationships. With being so connected we have the potential of losing out and not being connected to our friends, teachers, youth pastors, and mentors. Most importantly, being connected digitally gives a comfort level that may keep you from being connected with God.

In other words, don’t be so connected to your toys/gadgets that you disconnect from your Creator. Jesus offers a real connection that will never fail, never disappoint.

Most importantly, Jesus wants to be connected with you. He wants to give your life impact and purpose. He wants the Holy Spirit to flow thru you and give you power to do things you never imagined.

We often lose sight that Jesus and only Jesus offers us something we can’t find online, on your iPod, or on Facebook.

Here are a few things to think about as we enter this new week;

Points to Ponder:

·         How many hours do I spend in front of the computer?

·         Can I ever leave the house without my iPod?

·         How many hours do I spend unplugged from anything?

·         What steps am I taking to get connected with God?