Inured and Confused

In speaking with a friend of mine, he smiled sadly and said "I fear our generation is being entertained to death."

It is easy to see what he means - no other generation before ours has had the shear breadth, depth, and variety of distraction available to them, some simultaneous. We have computers, hand-held gizmos with more computing power than was available on the earth only a few decades ago, and they now have a car that allows you to make use of the car's steering wheel and gas and brake pedals in a game whose console appears when the car is parked and with the appropriate switches. We are a society whose resources are so abundant we take them nearly for granite ... as in, so solidly present of endless character that they may well survive for ever.

In addition, we have never had more means of connecting with those around us - through the internet, telephone, and mass-production of means of transportation, nearly anyone can get nearly anywhere or at least in contact with anyone. Truly, the world appears to grow both larger and smaller by the moment.

All this technology, all these options, and all this variety lends itself to a very real confusion - for the more choices we have, the more we expect our own wisdom will rise to the challenge. Almost as if the presence of knowledge imparts wisdom by osmosis, many of us find ourselves feeling both wiser and smaller, thinking we know so little, but feeling as if we have a bit more control.

The question is - how many of our entertainments draw us closer to Christ Jesus? How many movies have you watched, games have you played, books have you read, friends have you spoken with, clothes that you have shopped for, gifts you have given, or tasks you have accomplished drawn you closer to God?

To be sure, each of those things has the potential to draw you closer to both the real things in life that are tangible expressions of God. Truly, God can meet you where you are ... and often does, simply because He is not the one who leaves when we are separated from Him.

We have become inured to the battle - the war - that God has won. He won it 2000 years ago and He is giving each of us a certain moment in time with which to choose Him.

What will your actions show you chose?

Call-to-action

• Write down one specific example in which you have not responded in a Godly to authority - this includes
• God
  
• your parents
  
• your grandparents
• your teachers
• your boss
• your spouse
  

• Identify the earliest attitude and/or decision that led to that poor response.
  

• Ask God to forgive you for not offering that decision to Him.
  

• Wait on the Lord to give you peace while NOT holding onto it
  

• Once you have peace, determine the best means of seeking forgiveness from the earthly authority you did not respond well to.
  

• Approach that authority and express as earnest, specific, and succinctly as you can your desire for their forgiveness.
  

• Wait on their response.
  

• If they forgive, give thanks to God for His grace.
  

• If they do not forgive, give thanks God allowed you to heal your conscience and pray for them.