Yesterday I wrote about all things communication — and one of these was Twitter. Now, I am the first to tell you that I’m Twitter challenged. I still haven’t figured out the simple basics of Twitter, but I do know this: Twitter is limited characters for short messages. Nothing longwinded about Twitter — short, snappy and hopefully interesting snippits of life. I only have one problem, I can’t figure out how to follow people. I’m sure it’s simple, but I can’t get it figured out.
I thought about all the communication methods we have and Twitter is the one that fascinates me the most and it also reminds me of how I talk the Lord. It’s often in short little prayers. I do have a daily time that I spend with the Lord. It’s a time when I truly look at where I am with the Lord and I listen — really hard for me to do somedays, but I do listen to what the Lord is saying to my heart.
Beyond this daily time with the Lord (notice I don’t call it quiet time, because it’s rarely quiet. I may sing or I may shout or cry out, but I’m rarely quiet in anything I do), I try to keep connected to the Lord all day. After yesterday’s outburst on Twitter, I was feeling sort of bad and I really thought about it. I twitter with the Lord daily and I’m following Him, I try to see what He’s doing and where He’s at work. I talk constantly to Him — at least I try.
Pray without ceasing. 1 Thess 5:17
Without ceasing? What? I know the first time I read this I almost passed out. Lord, you really want me to talk with you without ceasing? Oh my word, how will this work? The meaning is constanting recurring, not constantly occurring. That made much more sense to me — stay connected to the Lord at all things and through all things — cling to Him. Keep those communications line open.
The Lord desires our attention — He wants us to give us the desires of our heart.
Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart. Ps 37:4
Delight yourself! Think on that one for a moment. Not only does God want us to have an open communication with Him at all times, He wants us to delight ourselves in Him….. how awesome! And how simple that can be. Just look at all that He blesses us with each day. It knocks me to my knees to think of all the grace He pours out on me — and I’m so very unworthy, but He does this for me. Delight myself in Him? How can I not delight in Him.
Oh wait, there’s more — much more. He will give you the desires of your heart. Wow! Now, there’s a profound word for you. But I think that it’s sums it up — Wow! When we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts — I’m not even sure what the desires of my heart are. Ten years ago, if you told me I’d be doing what I’m doing today, I would have laughed at you. But the Lord knew different — He knew the desires of my heart. Long before the book Girlfriends, God and Grace was born, the Lord knew that it was there and only through Him was I able to get it written and published (amazing God stuff).
So, what does Twittering have to do with all of this? On twitter you follow people and people follow you — that’s a great snapshot of the Kingdom, except we all follow one — the Lord.
And He was saying to them all, ” If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” Luke 9:23
So, there it is — if you want to follow Jesus, it’s simple — Deny yourseslf, take up your cross daily and follow. Its much easier than Twittering — which requires some serious reading to figure out how to follow people. And then it’s also much harder. Twitter doesn’t require that I deny self – but following Christ does and I do it –not easily and not without serious wrestling with my pride and my ego, but fortunately, the Lord wins out.
So the next time you sit down to Twitter, text or email, just take a moment to talk to the Lord — keep those communication lines open.
This gave me a good idea. I will talk to my students today about how often they “check in” and “text” their friends.
Are they doing the same with God? Are they sending him messages and listening to receive the same?
I think I may hit a home run with this analogy inspired by you.
Thank you.
Great post, my dear friend.
I have intentionally stayed away from Twitter because I have a hard enough time keeping boundaries with blogging!
However, I do love this analogy. It’s a great picture of “praying without ceasing”. Oh that our desire to follow and connect with God would be greater than that toward people.
Good word girl!
Hi Mary,
I cracked up at your “twitter” twatter!!
I too have tried to figure that one out. This week, I was working on Facebook upon the nagging of some friends.
Honey,
It is all that I can do to keep my God time a priority and leave a little extra for blogging!
Good Word!
pat
Pat — best of luck on Facebook. I did the whole MySpace page (so I could spy … wait, I mean, watch over my daughter’s accounts). I haven’t braved the Facebook arena,and I don’t plan to, but who knows.
Laura, love to hear you’re using this with your students. I would love to hear how it goes.
Thanks to all for posting! You truly warm my heart!
I never thought of the analogy of twittering with how I often talk to God. Although I have made the choice to set aside time each morning to read my Bible, journal and pray that dialog continues throughout my day. And often in little bursts here and there. “Help Lord. What do I do?” I also Twitter. My name on Twitter is Panda444 so feel free to follow me. I’ve met some wonderful Christian women on Twitter.