“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Amen, amen, I say to you, the Son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees the Father doing; for what he does, the Son will do also. For the Father loves the Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed.’”

(From John 5:17-30)

 We may not realize it, but there are a lot of things in life that we try to do on our own.  In doing so, we’re fooling ourselves.  Our world offers us so many resources to aid us in daily living: GPS, text messaging, social media postings, ordering pretty much anything and having it delivered to our front door, automated car washes, placing your grocery order, prescription order, or office supply order online, and then just walking into the store and picking it up.  “Grab ‘n go” has become a way of life for many of us.  I read online the other day that there is an Amazon store somewhere in the United States that has zero employees. You walk in, grab your items, and then walk out—never having to encounter another person. Wow.  Why is it that I look at something like that and not get excited?  It actually frightens me. 

Technology is a gift.  While I do admit that I have what my friend, Kaye Chapman, calls, “a love-hate relationship” with it, I must also acknowledge the good that it can do.  However, in the end, where we stand with God is most crucial.  Does “all this stuff” put more distance between us and God? Us and other people?  Between us and good health? The idea of walking into a store, doing your business, and then walking out without ever having to encounter or interact with another person is one thing.  Walking in and out of each day, each relationship, each encounter with another person or group and not consciously stopping to interact with God?  That’s another thing entirely.   You know it.  And I know it. 

Jesus said more than once, “I can do nothing apart from the Father.”  Can we say that of ourselves?  Put the phone down and pick up the scriptures.  Put the laptop and phone to the side, at least for a moment, and pick up a prayer book.  Go to church, but leave your phone in the car. It’ll be there when  you return. Let your devices rest—but let yourself rest too—in the presence of The One who wants so desperately to breathe life into our souls.