When I started reading the following blog post by John Piper (on the Desiring God blog) my first thought was to think "kinda corny".:) But, as I finished reading the post, I realized that Piper was speaking right to me. I don't think twice about clicking my email page multiple times a day or or checking on Craigslist to see if an item I am looking for has finally appeared?! But how often do I follow my morning meal of the Word of God with much needed snacks throughout the day by way of His Word?
I don't have a smartphone, an iPad, or even a facebook account that I regularly use...but I do have Bible programs available on my computer and I have the Bible in ink and paper sitting right next to my computer...and I am without excuse. Maybe you are to!:)
Are apps a threat to God-focus? Yes. But it works both ways. Fight fire with fire.
If you are reading your Bible on your computer or your smartphone or your iPad, the presence of the email app and the news apps and the Facebook app threaten every moment to drag your attention away from the word of God.
True. Fight that. If your finger offends you, cut it off. Or use any other virtuous violence (Matthew 11:12) that sets you free to rivet your soul on God.
But don’t take mainly a defensive posture. Fight fire with fire.
Why should we think of the Facebook app threatening the Bible app? Why not the Bible app threatening the Facebook app, and the email app, and the RSS feeder, and the news?
Resolve that today you will press the Bible app three times during the day. No five times. Ten times! Maybe you will lose control and become addicted to Bible! Again and again get a two-minute dose of life-giving Food. Man shall not live by Facebook alone.
I’m serious. Never has God’s voice been so easily accessible. The ESV app is free. The OliveTree BibleReader app is free. And so are lots of others. Let the Bible threaten your focus. Or better: Let the Bible bring you back to reality over and over during the day.
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