Friday, April 10th, 2009 "Do You Have a Few Minutes?"

Tsunami Devotional by Steve Keaton

Friday, April 10^th, 2009

Title: Do You Have a Few Minutes?

Text: Matthew 6:5-6

⁵"And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. ⁶But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Do you have a cell phone? I’m sure you do, and if you don’t you have either had one and lost it, or you are seriously thinking about getting a phone. I went to a middle school to eat lunch with some of my youth the other day, and I was astonished at the number of 6^th grade guys and girls sitting at the table texting each other. Sometimes they were texting the person just across the table from them instead of taking the time to look at that person and say what they wanted to say. So, as any good youth pastor would do, I joined in. It was crazy. A few weeks ago my 10 year old son Tyler, who is in 4^th grade, asked when he was going to get a cell phone. I didn’t respond and simply turned up the car radio in hopes that he wouldn’t ask the question again.

I have had a cell phone since they hit the market back in the early 90’s. Have you ever watched the show “Saved by the Bell”? It was a wholesome show about 6 teens as they made their way through their years at Bayside High School. Well, my first phone was the same phone that the character Zack had on the show. IT WAS HUGE!!! That phone was larger than a VHS cassette tape. But I thought I was the real deal as I drove around town talking on my new mobile phone. It was way better than stopping at a pay phone and dropping in a quarter.

Well today I have graduated from the 5lb brick phone to a very trendy and sleek Blackberry. I must tell you that I am fully addicted to my Blackberry. With the unlimited texting and data plan that enables me to check my email, surf the internet and update my Facebook at the drop of a hat, I am truly a participant on the Information Super Highway I often get so consumed with my phone that I have named it my “Crackberry”. It is a name that is commonly used for us who are so attached to these phones. It’s a sickness, I know.

The one thing I have really noticed over the past few years is owe much we rely on this form of communication. Whether it is text messaging on our cell phones, instant messaging on our computers or even shooting out a quick email or changing our status on Facebook, we have really become a society that has quickly moved further and further away from the intimacy of the spoken conversation. Instead of just saying what we would like to say to another person, we just fire it out with a series of coded letters and symbols to get our message across. But the sad thing is that I feel this lack of personal interaction has even transferred over to our ability to have a real and personal conversation with God. Think about it. In the midst of our fast-paced lives it has become easier to just send a snippet of information than to take the time to have a meaningful dialogue. And that often takes place in our prayer life as well.

Think back on a time when you have just sat down and had a great conversation with someone you care about. What did it feel like? I can remember having some of those times when I just wished that time would never end. It felt comfortable, safe and meaningful. It felt as if a wonderful and valuable gift had just been exchanged, and that the priceless gift of someone’s time was graciously given to me, with nothing expected in return. When we take the time to put down the cell phone, combat the urge to log onto Facebook and instead, make the time to sit down for a personal talk with God, we will experience that very same feeling. God-Followers are so blessed to have the amazing and thrilling opportunity to spend personal time with the Famous One. When we approach God, we never get a busy signal or a, “I’ll have to call you back later” response. We immediately get the undivided attention of the one who loves us more than we could possibly know. We don’t have to go through some religious leader or have anyone else speak on our behalf. We just call out to God and we are instantly sitting face-to-face with the same person who created the universe. But far too often we just don’t seem to take advantage of this gift. I know I am as guilty as anyone.

So, will you join me in making the time each day to call a time out and exit off of the Information Super Highway for little while? Will you accompany me on my quest to put down the Crackberry and take part in a daily, intimate and personal conversation with God? I know that when we truly give God our time we will be blessed beyond our wildest dreams. We will learn things we never thought possible and experience things we could have never hoped for. I have a feeling that if we listen close enough, God has a lot to say. Let’s take the time and see what it is.

Something to Think About:

• How often do you spend personal time with God? Do you think it is enough?
• What things tend to distract you from give God the quality time God desires from you?
• How can you improve this area of your spiritual life?

A Few Minutes with God:

God, I know that I probably don’t spend enough time with you each day. I know that you desire for me to speak to you, to share with you all the things taking place in my life. I know that you love me so much that you want me to include you more, and the best way of doing that is through have a deeper conversation with you each day. Help me to grow in my desire to make that happen. Help me to become more disciplined and make this time with you a great priority in my life. And I know by doing so, I will truly experience an amazing interaction, blessing and gift through our time together. I love you God. Thank you for loving me. Amen.