21st Century Idols

So this past week I was getting really excited about writing this blogpost about how our phones are the idols of our generation. I was convinced that this message was for someone out there. I was all like:"Wow God, someone needs to hear this." Acting like I was gonna do someone a huge favour by writing this.




As I was reading the book of Jeremiah, I didn't feel like idol worship applied to me at all. I am a pen and paper kind of girl and pretty late with anything that has to do with technology. So I didn't think my phone was my idol for a split second.

                            But y'all no God. He checked me and put me in place real quick!

...Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God

 for for worthless idols!

 - Jeremiah 2:11

So as I was on the train, listening to my elevation worship music, reading my bible on my YouVersion app, sending encouring words to my WhatsApp Groups, smiling at people whenever I'm looking up from my phone here and there (because as a good Christian I'm in the smiling-at-strangers-ministry LOL) and out of nowhere my phone blacked out. Just like that. My screen turned black and it got realy hot. And there was nothing I could do about it. I was devestated.

I was like: Why is this happening to me God? My phone is my ministry. I use my phone for your Glory. I use it to read my bible, I use it to connect to other christians and to post christian quotes on social media. I use it to listen to Worship music and to write all my blogposts that YOU inspire me to write. Writing it down now, I can see how ridicoulous this is, but this was how I actualy felt.

You see, I felt exempted. I didn't feel like I was as crazy about my phone as everybody else. That word in Jeremiah is for everybody else but me. I had an explanation to be on my phone 24/7. When in reality, I was acting just like everybody else in the world. My phone became my Idol. God had to humble me. With that holier-than-thou- attitude that I had going on.

So when I got back from work. Sitting on the Bus, still mad that I was'nt able to listen to my music. God said something to me.
He said something like this:"Listening to worship music is fine and it pleases me, but what sound does your heart make when the music is off? What song is your soul singing when these headphones are not plugged in? Are you still smiling at strangers when you can't mute them out with music? When you actualy have to listen to every stupid conversation around you? Instead of staring on your phone, staying connected to fellow christians, allow me to connect you to someone face-to-face that hasn't heard of me yet. Posting all this stuff is one thing, but what are saying in real life? The blogposts you store on your phone are the words I gave to you,  so they need to be stored up in your heart first of all.

This is when I got it. I was holding this man made things in my hands. Devestated that it din't do what it was supposed to do . Depending on it to sustain my relationship with God. That's insanity and to be honest idoltary.  Here's the deal. God is God. He gave up His only Son to have a relationship with us, while we are in a relationship with our phones. Let's not make God compete with anything in our lives.

Dear children, keep away from anything 

that might thake God's place in your hearts.

Greek: keep youreselves from idols

-1.John 5:21

And I know it is hard at times. Our phones make our lives a lot easier. And I belive God gave our genaration the wisdom to create all these things for a reason. Let me be real with you. I don't want to take my bible to church on a sunday either. It is heavy and it doesn't fit into my little clutch that goes with my cute little outfit. So I would rather just take my phone. But even typing this, I feel so ignorant. (And I am)

That night, when I realised all of this. I didn't even want to touch my phone. I read my "real" bible for a change. I prayed and sang in my heart. And I didn't even set an Alarm but instead asked God to wake me up in the morning. I realised that only singing along to songs and reading the word only when my bible plan reminds me, feels like a  double date with Him. You know how we would feel, if we would realy like someone and want to be alone with them but their always bringing someone with them, to what you intended to be a date. God wants intimacy with us. Just you and Him.

I love how God corrected me here. If I learned one thing it's this: There are some amazing songs out there to worship to, there are amazing sermons to watch on YouTube and there are some amazing Bible reading plans but we can never depend on anything else when it comes to sustaining  a intimate relationship with God, but us. He want's us.