On changing my phone

So recently I have changed my phone. As I went through the process I became aware of my own reliance on technology, although I shouldn’t have been surprised. We are living in a culture where everything has a foundation in some form of technology.

Where would I be without my phone?

Honestly, I don’t know. I would lose contact with friends, family and work colleagues. I would have to learn the art of letter writing to get any communication through. A rather depressing thought, considering I have never been the most eloquent of writers.

In short, I would be lost.

Are we relying on technology or God?

I had become used to my old phone, it wasn’t the best in the world, but it worked how I wanted it to. I had quite happily re-arranged my life around my phone, so that it basically ran my life. Phone, email, Facebook, diary…everything run through a small box in my pocket. Without my phone, I would lose it all. And I wonder how true that is for other people? In this modern era, it is easy enough to find a piece of technology to answer any need.

Have we forgotten who gave man the ability to create? Colossians 1:15-16 says this:

“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.”

By changing my phone, I have been challenged in a way I wasn’t expecting. For what purpose do I use technology? By my use of gadgets, do I bring glory to God? After all, he has given us the abilities to create it, should we not express our thanks in return?

What do I rely on – God or Gadget?

When I changed my phone, I realised it would not accept my contacts, or my diary. The issue was based in the fight between Microsoft and Google. In order to continue using my phone as I used to, I would have to create a new life on Google.

The question is…who owns our life?

By Google refusing to co-operate with Microsoft, effectively they have forced people to give over all their details. Who they know, what they do, and when they do it, is all within the grasp of one company. Is this a good thing? Indeed, is having all that information readily available on a server somewhere in the world safe? Who knows…

Are we in fact, by using these services, effectively allowing a corporation to run our lives? Now I am no conspiracy theorist, but I find all of this slightly disturbing.

However, there is one thing I can take from this: God knows everything I do anyway. Jesus is the ultimate Big Brother – to coin a phrase – “he knows when I am sleeping, he knows when I’m awake, he knows if I’ve been bad or good, so be good for goodness sake!” But far from being on the heavenly CCTV trying to catch me out, quite the opposite is true. He is there to protect me. And I will quite happily tell him everything.

He knows all…all should know Him.