In much of today’s society, a ‘thumbs up,’ a ‘check mark,’ or a ‘heart’ emoji, stands in as a ‘like,’ denoting a follower/friend. Based on this as a measure, there are people with thousands upon thousands of ‘friends.’ Granted, they’ve not met the vast majority, and wouldn’t recognize most if they met them in the street. These ’friends’ are but keystrokes with as much relational investment in their mutual ‘friend’ as the time it took to press the key on the keypad on their device. A ‘thumbs down’ emoji, or perhaps an ‘x’ or ‘broken heart’ signify the end of a ‘friendship.’ This action is too often followed in our day by severe depression or suicide as the rejected one is suddenly left ‘friendless.’ The concept of a personal relationship has become otherworldly and non-existent in this realm.
This ongoing tragedy makes me wonder if we as Christians aren’t influenced by this techie delusion. We’ve heard much about God, more about the man Jesus. We can quote verses from the Bible. We pray and go to meetings of the gathered church. But do we long, as the Psalmist did, for face to face, heart to heart, life-sharing? Does the Biblical imagery of the Beloved, Bride and Bridegroom, Wedding and wedding feast, even the blushingly intimate word, consummation, speak of the depth of our relationship with our Savior, the Lover of our Souls? Or are we largely those who are just ‘emoji-connected?’
I wonder sometimes if God’s desire for parent-child relationship is satisfyingly met in His children, in His chosen ones, in me? Are my days ‘fully provisioned’ in a moment-by-moment-reality way? Man does not live by bread alone, but, true confession, recently, while in France, the sight of fresh-baked bread in a market stall held an embarrassingly powerful allure, a seductive quality which took incredible stamina to overcome. We even have a picture of it!
As His witnesses, if our relationship with Him is keyboard-shallow, what is our relationship-deprived world receiving from us? Can we hope to spiritually nourish with the spiritual nourishment on which we’re living? Do we effectively waft ‘the aroma of Christ,’ making others hungry for what we have? Can we portray (genuinely, not religiously) a deep, alive, passionate, love for a risen Savior who has given his all? Are our lives ‘doin’ the stuff’ as John Wimber was wont to say? Here’s some good news for us all, no what matter our starting point:
“Our conversation takes on a brand new dynamic when we take sides with what God believes about us. So, instead of telling God about the details of your sin, you remind yourself about the details of your redemption. God doesn’t need the information, you do. God’s faithfulness and righteousness is the basis of our forgiveness and cleansing from every distortion. Jesus removed every bit of condemning evidence against us.” 1 John 1:9 MIRROR. So good, y’all! PD
