GOD AND MY SAMSUNG GALAXY SIII

Excerpt from chapter "Summit meetings with God" from Leona's current book-in-progress, "STILL MORE--FLOURISHING ON MY SUMMIT"

In simplest terms, my summit meetings with God can be defined in terms of a-b-cs. Always Be Connected. I see many analogies with my smart phone.

I never turn off my Samsung Galaxy SIII. Because I'm always connected, I must be meticulous about keeping it charged so I don't miss any message. It emits a gentle, melodic whistle when there is an incoming text message and a louder melody of my choosing when a call comes in.  In Church or wherever I want to receive my message silently and privately, I set it on vibrate. But whether text or phone, I must acknowledge it by answering or I won't know what the message is. And I “can't leave home without it.” My four sons lovingly scold me if I forget and drive away with the cell phone still on the table because they don't want to be out of touch with me in an emergency. 

My grandson Jeffrey informs me that I've scarcely tapped into a fraction of many more wonderful features on my cell phone. Well, at this advanced age, I'm happy enough with knowing the minimum features to daily do what I need to do. 

Of course, when I'm in range of an available WI-Fi network, I can access the Internet and other data services. Through its maps and navigation features Galaxy will tell me exactly where I am (in case I don't know that) in relation to any other location on earth. If I want to, I can view-travel anywhere in the world by asking to see some faraway place and virtually walk the streets there. I can locate places of interest or an address on an aerial map and then observe the location in detail at street level. Through YouTube I can look at videos and upload my own. I can access social media and connect with and keep up with the activities of my friends and loved ones. 

It is handy to view my emails from wherever I am without going to my computer. I can read ebooks without going to my KINDLE. I no longer need a camera. I can take photos, and instantly send and receive them from anyone and store them for retrieval. I can record my voice and listen to the radio. I could draw and paint and play games (which I really don't want to do). I can load and listen to music. I can see my friends face to face in real time with Skype. 

Galaxy tells me what day it is, when my appointments are, the temperature and weather forecast where I am or in any place in the world, if I'm curious. I can speak to my smart phone and Galaxy replies with a mechanical voice and does my bidding when I give it commands. As I drive, through the GPS feature it will guide me to whatever place I wish to go. With my Skyview app I can see the stars and planets day or night in real time and locate all the constellations with their names. There seem to be dozens of apps at my fingertips which I can download to assist me. 

That's just a beginning list, and the next generation of smart phones will doubtless top all those properties with still undreamed of features. It seems that the sky is the limit. Remarkable? Yes! Supernatural? Of course not. Miraculous? Not so much....

As marvelous as this slim little piece of hardware and electronics is, my God-connection enabling my summit meetings with God through prayer is far beyond any high-tech accomplishment of man's ingenuity. And it take place without any hardware or software or electronics. Moreover, the sky is not the limit, nor is our galaxy, nor all the universes that may be out there. The wonder and mystery of my human communication with our infinite God is beyond space and time. Compared to that, man's technological and electronic achievements are puny, fallible, temporary, and destructible. 

 

If there were to be a high-altitude nuclear blast or natural disaster, or terror attack in America that would affect the electromagnetic field, the fallout from such a catastrophe could damage or destroy our country's power grids and all electronics. It could deal society a deathblow. Such a cataclysm could end modern civilization as we know it by frying electrical circuits and knocking out power. This could create such a collapse of our fundamental productive capacity that you could literally see a civilization crash and tear itself apart fighting—internally. 

We are warned that an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) disruption could throw all of us (if we survived) back to an existence equal to that of the Middle Ages. Every modern electronic gadget that is dependent on the electric grid could crash silent and impotent. We could become like limp puppets whose strings are cut. Goodbye Samsung Galaxy SIII and all of its electronic kin!

Our generation's misplaced total dependence on electronics and the power grid could leave us with the consequences of the Tower of Babel. There the out-of-control ambition of man without God to “build a tower whose top would reach to the heavens” came under the judgment of God.

In contrast, Jesus and His power Source is infinite and indestructible. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews13:8). He promised that He would never leave us or forsake us. My password is “Saved by grace” which enables me to come boldly into God's presence anytime in Jesus' Name. He wants me to have an uninterrupted connection so that I will always be in a position to hear His voice and receive His message clearly.


His guidance system is without error. He whispers to the ears of my heart but not in a robotic, mechanical voice. Our eternal God knows where I am at all times. I am never out of His range. Enabled by the app of the Holy Spirit, through my intercessory connection established through the mediation of Jesus Christ with the Father, I can reach anyone anywhere by prayer in less than a nanosecond. 

On my part, I must keep my spiritual life charged up through the means Jesus provided. God's Word and His sacraments are the way by which I abide in Him and He in me. I must not neglect His invitation and command, “This do in remembrance of Me.” Partaking of His body and blood in the Eucharist is my Charger. 

I should not take lightly this wonderful God-connection. I must answer promptly when He signals my heart. Rather than issuing commands to Him, I should obey His commands. I fear no EMP failure because God is with me as my Protector and Deliverer. “Nothing can separate me from the love of God...” (Romans 8:38). It goes without saying that I must be careful not to separate myself from His side or I will receive only a weak signal or suddenly find myself out of His range. 

God is not some “google-in-the-sky” for receiving information, satisfying my curiosity, or playing games. The knowledge and wisdom I have available from our infinite God is perfect, timeless, and from the perspective of the Creator of the universe. It is not dependent upon being programmed in by some mortal with no access to the deep things of God.

My summit meetings with God are designed by Him to tap into His power which enables me to do His will on earth as it is done in heaven.