Mass Destruction versus Mass Distraction
Deuteronomy 6:5-9 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 11:16-21 Be careful, or you will be enticed to turn away and worship other gods and bow down to them. Then the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and he will shut up the heavens so that it will not rain, and the ground will yield no produce, and you will soon perish from the good land the Lord is giving you. Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates, so that your days and the days of your children may be many in the land of the Lord swore to give your ancestors, as many as the days that the heavens are above the earth.
Proverbs 7:3 Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.
Psalm 40:8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.
Psalms 119:11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Jeremiah 31:33 “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds, and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
Before the 1900’s electricity was not in every household, and when darkness of evenings came, folks depended on candles and kerosene lamps, and the family would gather around to listen to one of their members read the living word of God. Without the outer distractions of television, electricity, music from all sorts of devices, folks tended to spend time as a family, gathered in the living room or family room, and reading, perhaps while the females worked on craft projects of needlepoint, crocheting or knitting, or repairing a piece of clothing for the family. Reading was common and enjoyed. And much of the reading was from the bible; not always, there were certainly a few novels available, but they were commonly thought too “abrasive” for female ears. So many families had the bible read each evening, or most evenings, by a male member of the family.
I think many of the things which we are dependent on for the most part, have hindered our involvement in reading His Word; the Way, the Truth and the Life (and the Light), and something we all need to know, to seek, and to develop. Without it, becoming familiar with the passages, and coming to know who God truly is and what He wants from us, I believe our society suffers. We spend more time playing on devices to try to entertain our minds, which don’t like being totally idle. So instead of reaching for a book—maybe THE book—the bible, perhaps a novel, a research book, we reach for something else. Perhaps it is an action movie, an animated romance, a puzzle or a game, or listening to music and filling our minds with tunes, but we are not seeking His word, and getting familiar with the bible.
We have shortchanged our learning how to get to know God by filling our minds with distraction—electronic gadgets, social media, gossips, games, and almost anything can be found on our devices. We are NOT engaging our minds with the things God commanded us to know, remember, and imprint on our minds.
This is not His plan, and I believe we are gravely hurting ourselves being distracted with gadgets and games, and not learning who God is, and how to develop a relationship with Him. And we have hurt ourselves as a society and as a country because we choose alternatives to reading the bible. “The curse of this age is over-stimulation of the senses, which blocks out awareness of the unseen world.” Sarah Young Jesus Calling published by Thomas Nelson Publishing, 2013, pg 174, June 15 devotion. We spend so little time conversing with each other, and not seeking Him, and choose to play with gadgets. In a few years I wonder if anyone will have a relationship, a true relationship of knowing another, let alone recognizing the need to know God.
My pastor quoted a speaker he had heard a couple years ago. The first gentleman had said, “I feel less concern about the weapons of mass destruction at this point, but I have grave concerns about the weapons of mass distraction.” And there are many things to distract us. And certainly I can easily have my mind temporarily sucked away from my prayer time, my time with my Creator. I am convinced that Satan is tempting us with tv, radio, news programs, phone chirping, text messages beeping, and all trying to pull us away from our time with Him. And it is not just electronics—at least it is not in my case. The dog urges to be let out, the cats are encouraging the dog to race and chase, and I might hear the birds bump onto the window feeder and the sound has me looking up.
My mind’s calendar will jump up to interrupt my communication with the thought of some appointment—and immediately I have to do a check—at least a mental check as to the day, and if the appointment is actually then or the next day, and if today, what time do I have to leave. But point is, DISTRACTION. This interrupts my concentrated time with Him. Even my own mind can cheat and run out on me at times. Yes, after a moment or so, I can pull it back and return to my prayer time—but now somewhat distracted, not on the same plane as I had been. And although I don’t actually hear this, I swear I know Satan is chuckling his raspy, evil giggle.
“Google, Wiki. E-books. Prints and paperbacks. Facebook, Podcasts. YouTube. The billions and billions of pages on the Internet. Our world will make more information available in the next decade than has been discovered in all human history….We live in a very noisy world–full of external voices. Who knows how many voices–helpful or not–we have in our heads? With all these voices (pardon the graphic illustration), be sure you are regularly removing the wax from your spiritual ears, so you can accurately hear God’s voice.” Christine Caine Unshakable Zondervan Publishing, 2017, Devotional June 26, pg 187.
As much as I appreciate much of the modern conveniences, I know they have caused a huge breach in seeking God. We are so busy searching for this and that, playing games on our devices, listening to music, stories, or anything but we are falling right into Satan’s hands and giving him success in distracting us from the true purpose we should all have of seeking God. This is evidenced in my own family. They are all too busy to go to church, most do not routinely read the Word, although may open a devotional and get a daily word on the computer. But there is no time spent recognizing that He is the most important thing in life. They are busy with their own entertainment on weekends, taking children to each of their organized sports events then must go home and complete homework. There’s too much time spent on other events and not on the important things of life. And they seem to all believe they are in charge of their own destiny. The idea that any are so busy they can afford to seek Him and will die never knowing God and having a relationship with the only One who can give everlasting life, breaks my heart.
My prayers are that when something vital interrupts their “busyness” they will each turn to the God who created them and blessed them with all they have—children and so much more. For some reason, many in this country believe the goal is the latest toy, the finest of whatever, and although they work hard, the competition at times feels real to them.
I think often that God is trying to pull our attention back to Him with many newsworthy events occurring. There are an increase in gun events, murder is just a shrug and shake of one’s head, there seem to be many more natural disasters—multiple fires burning acres and acres of land in different states, increase in tornadoes and hurricanes, outbreak of a world virus that brought much of the commerce and normal living to a standstill worldwide, COVID19—causing people to be out of work, many small businesses closed, restaurants and bars severely damaged, while liquor stores thrived—too much time people drinking by themselves at home. And this vicious circle increased the stress and hardship of families, children were not allowed in school, more social isolation, finances were stressed, folks were scared and mistrustful, and all sorts of violence increased. I firmly believe God wants repentance, wants the world to turn to Him, as He is the ONLY God as He has repeated throughout the bible, and is sending events in the hopes we will find the Truth, the Way and the Light and repent and reach for Him.
As His history shows, He only tolerates sin so long before He stops it; and punishment is given. It may be invasion, in maybe the imprisonment and isolation and annihilation of a peoples/culture/or country one does not want in the way any longer. We need to remind folks that God is alive, well, and in charge. And those who refuse to believe in Him and believe within their heart He is the Savior and repent of their sins and let Him oversee their lives. Troubles don’t disappear but life is easier recognizing He is in charge and handing over some of my issues and asking for guidance and getting to know Him and listen to Him. He is alive and well, in charge, and only wants each to choose Him. Repentance and following Him, loving Him and the reward is forgiveness, reassurance, and grace, and eternity in heaven, not hell.
One of my daily prayers is that my family members will reach for Him and have a relationship with Him. He is not distant and nebulous, He is patient, waiting, and wants a sincere heart.
I pray this country learns the danger of distractions. We need to be spending time in prayer, communication with our Creator, paying attention to what He tells us while in prayer, and reading His word that although written over several hundreds of years, is still pertinent to us today. It is the Living Word of God. Repent and return to Him–He has the only true and lasting gift—eternity.
Lord, I pray for revival and for all to come to seek and find You. I thank You for all Your blessings for me and ‘mybellaviews.’
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