God is a Bluetooth kinda Guy
Posted on August 5, 2008
Filed Under A Geek's Guide to the Scriptures | Leave a Comment
Author’s note:
Today I came across the following article at a most interesting time—a time when, truth be told, I was feeling rather alone, in a “dead zone” as it were. If my soul had “signal bars” on it, they would be just about zero.
If I just lost you, read on. It’ll make sense soon.
This article was first sent as an email on March 3, 2004. So, the technological references are a bit dated. Ah, well. I could update it, but frankly, I just want to post it and get on with my quest to get a “stronger signal” with God.
Every time I crawl under my desk to untangle the keyboard cord from the mouse cord from the power cord from the network cord, from the lamp cord…. I think, “Lord! that Bluetooth were ubiquitous!”
“Bluetooth” technology is sort of a code name for all of the wireless technology out there. Actually, that’s not true, but for the sake of this little essay, let’s pretend that “Bluetooth,” which does refer to one piece of the wireless technology world, shall embody all that is good and wholesome about wireless technology (and may the techies amongst us let this one slide. )
“Bluetooth” and other technologies give us things like: wireless mice, wireless keyboards, wireless computer to computer connections, even wireless connections between your laptop and your smart phone. For instance, you can set up your laptop and phone so that as soon as you get close enough to the laptop, say 15 ft., it automatically starts transferring files to and from the phone.
Cool, eh?
With Bluetooth, proximity matters. You can have a wireless keyboard that is totally cool, but if you get too far away from your PC, it’s useless. Similarly, you can have a wireless LAN and Internet connection at home, but if you roam out to that nice, sandy sea shore beach a few hundred yards past your back yard, you will probably loose the connection.
Cell phones–the most wide spread users of wireless technology–are the same way. You may have a great phone complete with all sorts of gadgets on it, but if you get into a “dead spot” — that is to say, you are not in a cell — then you’re cut off from the phone’s network and your phone is useless.
It’s the same way with God. Proximity matters.
Being on the right wave length matters. Being “in the cell” matters. We can have all the greatest “tools” (Bibles, study guides, worship CDs, worship gatherings…. the works… ) but if we are too far from Him in our souls, or if we are not on His wave length, all of that stuff is just, … well, stuff.
Common Problems with any “network”
On the wrong wave length:
This can come from things like being too busy to hear God’s voice. Or it can be like listening to the world too much and not to God’s word; thinking and seeing things like the world does and not through God’s eyes can lead to trouble, even feelings of isolation from God. In those situations when God says “go” we don’t even hear Him. If God says “Believe” we say, “that’s crazy. That can’t be God’s will.”
In a dead cell:
One cause is not enough community with God and with others. God tells us not to forsake hanging out with fellow believers–and He does so for a good reason. We need each other. Being in a dead cell can also come from putting ourselves n one. In other words, we get into something that God clearly does not want us into, according to the Bible.
“Proximity exceeded”
Too far from God: It can come when other things become more important to us than God. That is to say, we can be out of the “Blue Tooth” proximity limits with God when He is no longer our first love. We have crowded Him out, pushed Him to the edges of our lives.
Another way the “proximity” can be exceeded is when God says “follow me” in some area of our lives but we hesitate. The further He walks while we stand still, the weaker the signal gets.
I picture Jesus, at the sea of Galilee saying to Peter, “follow me.” Then He turns and walks away, His voice getting fainter, His image getting smaller. I can see Peter throwing down his nets and running after Jesus. Once he caught up with Him, Jesus’ voice is once again strong and clear. You see, the disciples had to keep walking with Jesus where ever He went if they were going to stay in proximity to His voice, if they were going to hear Him, and see Him.
They had to leave a lot of things behind in order to do that.
The Answer to a “weak signal”= Get In the Cell! Stay in proximity!
How do you do that? It could take a month of small group gatherings to really answer that question, but one good place to start is to show up when God’s people gather for worship. Show up–and “tune in.” By tune in, I mean put aside the worries of the day, confess whatever sin you need to and ask God to connect with you.
Another good place to start is to force the world out of your mind and spirit each day just long enough to spend time with God, by yourself, with a Bible. Sure, occasional issues will come up that prevent you from spending daily time with God. When they do… well, that’s life…. no worries. Trust God for time with Him later. But the challenge is this: day after week, after month after year where is your relationship with God going? What’s the pattern? The disciples had a clear choice. If they wanted to hear Jesus’ voice, they had to stay in close physical proximity to Him–and they had to push out all their fears and concerns in order to really hear what He was saying.
In order to hear His voice there was a lot of stuff they literally had to walk away from. With God’s help, we can do the same.
“Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” James 4:8
You know, since posting this article for you…. look at that, the “signal strength” of my soul is up a couple of bars. Hmmm…. wonder how that happened? 
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