The Spiritual Shift: Day #15 Our Phones

                        Day #15 Our Phones

                            Week Three: Realigning Our Relationships with "Stuff"

"You shall have no other gods before me." ~Exodus 20:3

As we begin week three, let's recap. During Week One we realigned our spiritual relationships; we broadened our view of Almighty God. Throughout Week Two we took steps to right our personal relationships. Now, we are moving on to examine how other "stuff" fits into our world.

First up, the phone.

Let's all open the Settings app on our phones.

Scroll down to Screen Time.

Read the Daily Average.

Given the fact that we have 24 hours in a day. How much time are we awarding to this device?

Now, if there were an app for our spiritual life--or time communicating with God--what would that Daily Average be? Would it be higher or lower?

I know, I know, I am guilty as well. And I am making all the same excuses you are. "Well, some of the time is my Bible app." "I was using Google Maps." "I was reading a book on Kindle."

Excuses aside, the questions remain: Have we let our phones be a type of god to us? Is the phone an idol of sorts that we have put entirely too much time--and faith--in?

Our routine:

Assessment: What is the current condition of our relationship with our phones?

• What is the purpose of this relationship?

• What is the state of this relationship? What is going well? What isn’t?

• What changes need to be made to this relationship?

Adjustment: Are we aware of how much of our day we are handing over to our phones? Are we aware of how many opportunities we might have missed because of our phones?

Let's modernize a few Bible stories to include cell phones:

Noah was commanded to build the ark and save humanity from the flood. The problem is he got on his phone and pulled up how-to videos on TikTok. He was so sidetracked, the rains started while he was watching.

Queen Esther had planned to go to the King to ask him to save her people, but she was too busy posting stories on her Insta account: @PalaceLife.

Joseph actually never was released from prison; he didn't interpret the dreams because he was too busy solving that day's Wordle.

Paul did not spread the message of Christ's life; he started a blog about his favorite restaurants in Rome.

While I realize I am being silly--or ridiculous,--we do need to realize that our decisions with our phones have ramifications. Let's use these devices wisely; let's right our relationships with our phones.

God's Word doesn't address cell phones directly, but the verses we can apply here have to do with discernment.

Matthew 6:22-23 (Jesus is speaking.)

"'The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

Matthew 6:24 (Jesus is speaking.)

"'No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.'"

In this verse, Jesus is specifically addressing money. We might challenge ourselves to read the above verse aloud replacing money with a cell phone. Do we feel a sense of conviction? If so, we may need to give ourselves a phone timeout.

With so much information at our fingertips, it is more important than ever to be discerning. This may mean making some plans with ourselves in regards to how we will use our phones. Having those plans or limits worked out ahead of time, will hopefully keep us from dangerous traps in the future.

Psalm 101:3a

"I will not look with approval on anything that is vile."

2 Corinthians 4:4

"The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

I John 5:21

"Dear children, keep yourselves from idols."

In reality, the phone is just a phone. However, we have conceded much of our time to this gadget. If nothing else, it is worth it to take a step back and consider whether we have let this piece of technology become close to an idol in the value that we are placing on it.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

{We looked at these verses on Day #7, but they bear repeating since some have the Bible app on our phones.}

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

2 Corinthians 4:6

"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ."

Let us not let the light in our hearts be dimmed by the light from our phone screens.

One consideration may be to go back to the Settings app on our phones. Go back to Screen Time, and become familiar with ways to set some limits on ourselves in order to change some of our habits.

Let us not be more dependent on our phones than we are on our Maker.

"Pray continually."
~ 1 Thessalonians 5:17
Pray continually, not scroll or search continually, but pray continually.
Be constantly connected spiritually with our Maker--no internet connection needed.

Prayer: 

Almighty God, We love You. We need more of You and more of Your Word in our lives. Guide us to healthy use of the gadgets in our lives. Help us to rely on You and to put our faith in You, Great Mystery. In Jesus' Name. Amen. 

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." ~Matthew 6:21