Message Oct 2014-38

I am sitting here (at 10:30 AM on 10-8-14) at the PC and was told (when I called) that my Broadband service is “down” and will not be available until late in the afternoon. Poof; meaning something nasty in my mind.

It got me thinking about how much we depend on services and things like the Internet in our daily lives. Last time, at Beer and Bible ( a small group meeting two times a month at a local tavern) a young girl and her mother and I were discussing this in an abstract way. I said we all took things for granted and the girl told us that it was up to her generation to insure that today’s generation did not mess up the environment too much.  Well, something like that anyhow….

I recently got two smart phones and a tablet for free, for signing up with Verizon for two years’ service. Maybe, a total worth of around $700 retail for doing so. I thought it was a deal. Getting them, I look at all three as “magic boxes” that enable me to do so many things well, while on the go; even texting-NEAT!    I will not go into detail as to how or why I think this, but say, I am impressed by the gizmos that I got.

I read Richard Foster’s book, “The Celebration of Disciplines”, whereas it had a chapter on one of the disciplines, “Simplicity”.  I gave a Sunday School lesson on this subject in 2013 and have a copy of the lesson where I wrote, “In Ecclesiastes 7:30 it states, “God made man simple; man’s complex problems are of his own devising.” How true!  What is not true is that the book, not me, actually used 7:30 to make a point and there is NO  verse 7:30 in Ecclesiastes; it stops at 29, so go figure…..

I do NOT feel guilty of having smart phones and using them!! I look at them as being created by man, with God’s help and therefore not going outside the word “Simplicity.” I don’t know if I am stretching the truth or not, but feel that I am enjoying the bounties of God’s glory that He has helped man create, and therefore is A-OK.  To those that do not have a smart phone, like when I did not have a smart phone before, it is the way it goes, so be it…..

A little more:   Scripture is rife with declaring that the creations of God are good and to be enjoyed. Extreme asceticism is not to be condoned, whereas asceticism, or the severe self-discipline and abstention from all form of indulgence (usually for religious reasons) renounce possessions.  Simplicity puts those same things into prospective. There is NO place for the “good things in life” with the ascetic, but Simplicity rejoices in this gracious provision from the hand of God.

The book by Foster is an interesting one to read and goes into the 12 disciplines in detail that include the inward, the outward and corporate disciplines that he lists. I highly recommend getting and reading it. I stated before in the class I gave that “I believe we can look at the Spiritual Disciplines as the melding of the mind, the soul and the body toward a common goal of finding and being with God forever.”

Peace,

Den  Betts