2 Timothy 3:16-17
The whole Bible was given to us by
inspiration from God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make
us realize what is wrong in our lives; it straightens us out and helps
us do what is right. It is God’s way of making us well prepared at every
point, fully equipped to do good to everyone.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
A friend posed the
question, ” Just as the greeting card companies ‘created’ holidays...I
think Facebook has created this whole ‘last day of school’ pic. I don't
ever recall my mom taking a picture of me on the last day. First
day...sure, but last day? Meh.” She added that she felt that technology
as a whole…Facebook, Pinterest, and more…has contributed to the
documentation of so many activities and “memories” that were never
captured before. Several friends acknowledged that before the age of
digital photos and social media, there were indeed fewer photos taken.
I’ve
been scanning my parents’ old photo albums recently, and there is a
photo of me on my first day of kindergarten, maybe a couple from first
grade, and after that, it’s pretty well a birthday party or a Christmas
here and there. And so far, I have not unearthed any photos of my
sister and brother on their first days of school. The cost and hassle of
film, photo development, and more most certainly kept these efforts at
“memory making” to a minimum!
Someone made the comment that our
parents and grandparents had their own version of Facebook and other
social media for such documentation. She said, “…they're called
scrapbooks, and parents have been doing them probably since the
beginning of cameras. Technology has only made it easier for preserving
memories and sharing!” The advances in technology have perhaps allowed
us to document too much – as my friend suggested – but this has also
provided a vehicle for us to stay in touch with relatives and friends
near and far…to allow them to keep up with family members and stay “in
the loop.”
If we look at the Bible as a whole…most of us would
agree that some of the Old Testament laws and rituals no longer have
relevance, now that we have Jesus. We no longer have to sacrifice
animals to atone for sins. We’re not too worried that touching a pig
skin will make us unclean these days…or whether certain situations
require us to perform a “purification ritual.” But we must not “throw
the baby out with the bathwater.” Even the passages in Leviticus that
outline all of the “rules and rites” for serving God have meaning for us
today – if only to remind us of all that Jesus has done for us…how He
removed all of the rigmarole and simplified our faith, in many regards.
There
is “meat” in the Psalms and Proverbs…wisdom, comfort and healing in the
words of the kings and psalmists. The stories of great rulers and
soldiers, prophets, parents, families and strong men and women
illustrate that there is truly nothing under the sun…that struggles have
been around since Creation. We talk a lot about how bad things are
now…how much worse they are! Read the Old Testament…you’ll find plenty
of accounts of physical and mental abuse, alcoholism and drug abuse,
abductions, murder, sexual immorality, incest, poverty, gluttony, crime
and even “celebrities” of sorts.
If you read the Old Testament
alongside the New Testament, you will clearly see how much Jesus has
done for us. You will better understand how we got here, and why
Salvation in Jesus is SO important…and such a blessing! You will grow
in courage and strength as you read the sagas of many who struggled so
mightily – yet remained so faithful to God. They didn’t have the
opportunity to know a Savior who could redeem them, once and for all,
like we do. Still, they persevered.
Sometimes we have to look
back at how things were…how far we’ve come…to appreciate what we have
today. Just as with the new technologies that have at least enhanced –
if not improved – our daily living…we can see that Jesus has made
everything better. God has always been with us…we have always had the
opportunity to know Him and serve Him…but Jesus is the ultimate
“technological advancement” that allows us to live Godly lives with
relative ease. We can more readily share God’s love, grace, mercy, and
forgiveness with others now. We can reach more people, because Jesus
showed us how to live unencumbered by our sins…to love others in His
name…to serve God at every turn…to forget about our own desires and
focus on His.
Jesus showed us how to make a difference, instead
of just a point. God’s Word is our “scrapbook” of sorts that outlines
where we’ve been…and illustrates where we are headed. And every page of
it is important. Each of us has the opportunity to share our own
testimony as we live and serve in Jesus’ name. Will your story be one
of faith and progress? What sort of “memories” will you contribute?
©2015 Debbie Robus
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