Face To Face Prayer In A Text Messaging WorldSample

The Problem with Text Messaging

There have been many advancements in the forms of communication throughout history. From letter writing to telegraphs to telephones and back to letter writing in the form of emails. Without a doubt, the most popular and widely used form of communication is the text message. 

Worldwide, 18.7 billion texts are sent every day and it is the most used data service in the world. It is convenient. It is effective. And it saves time. But what does it cost us?

Text messaging offers us near constant access to others, and yet the quality of that communication often is lacking. 

It certainly lacks the intensity and intimacy of a face to face conversation, and many times lacks the honesty. How many times have you responded “Fine” to someone checking on you when you were far from fine? 

Text messaging allows us to be brief and concise as we hold conversations while we are actually focusing on other things. 

This is great for asking a spouse to pick up a gallon of milk, but completely unsuitable for tackling an issue that is troubling your heart.  

In I Thessalonians 5:17 the Bible says we should pray without ceasing. And it is easy to ceaselessly bring our requests and petitions to God: “Heal my friend” or “supply this need.”  And like a text message, where we are content to wait until the recipient reads and replies, we wait for God without engaging with Him in the wait.  We can bring anything to God at any time, but are we actually bringing ourselves to God. 

I think that God gets lonely for us. He wants to have an encounter, not just a cursory conversation. He wants our full, rapt attention with no distractions. Join me over the next 6 days as we discover how to make our prayers more intentional, intense and intimate. Let’s see what changes can happen in our lives when we don’t simply talk to God, but walk with Him