For the past two weeks my Internet has been laying down on the job. One minute I have access, the next it?s dead as a poor old frog who has just encountered the weight of a truck full of logs. You never know how much you rely on something until its not there. Using the Internet six to twelve hours a day, I am literally shutdown without it.
You know how it is when something tears up? You go and get a hammer, or screwdriver and you pound and twist until the broken object is fixed? Well with the Internet I don?t have anything to beat on. Only airwaves, or radiation bouncing off a satellite or something else invisible like that.
I really don?t understand how things work these days. Just how does a GPS know I have left the pavement and am now driving on a dirt road? Or, when the speed limit changes from seventy to fifty-five. How can one small object contain so much information? It doesn?t. The data is magically filtering through the air. Right?
Twenty years ago I sent a children?s story out to a handful of publishing companies. I had to literally type the story on a manual typewriter, fix type-os with an ink eraser, and get to a print shop to make copies and then snail mail the story. Today, even though mine is broken I love the World Wide Web and my iMac? printer? copier?and fax machine. These modern gadgets make my life so much easier.
At church last Sunday morning while sitting by the banks of the New River listening to the special music and preaching, I couldn?t help but ponder the mystery of the Holy Spirit. That part of the Trinity that is always with me, comforting, giving advice, leading and guiding my every move. I can?t see the Holy Spirit, but just like that GPS He seems to know everything. The Holy Spirit is always mapping out the route He wants me to take. Ready and waiting to set me straight and get me on the right path if I venture off the straight and narrow.
Sometimes when that GPS voice is telling me to go where I don?t want to I simply shut her down. When I?m feeling the urge to do something I know The Lord doesn?t want me to do the human part of me wants to turn the Spirit off. But just like Jesus promised, the Spirit will never leave me. Thank God I have a constant companion who is with me always. Good days and bad, Internet or not.
This past Sunday at our little church along the river the Spirit weaved its way into my heart. Overwhelming me with perfect peace, revealing all the blessings in my life. One never knows when we?ll be faced with the unknown. Without the help of a GPS we may become lost. Our lives may run into a dead end, like sickness or death. But we can lay our heads down in peace at night assured that Sweet Spirit is with us.
The power of the unseen is apparent when we use all our modern gadgets, as is the presence of the Spirit to all who believe. We probably wouldn?t trust ourselves to find our way to a distant land without a GPS? So why would we reject the One the Father sent to comfort and guide us?
John 14: 26-27
27) But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
28) Peach I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Picture caption: A heartfelt thank you to Steve Martin, Charlie, Luke, Brooke Sealy, and Winfrey Caudill for bringing their beautiful music and singing to the river.
Here?s another excerpt from my soon to be released novel, The Color of My Heart.
Lakin went to the door and shook it with all her strength. It rattled and gave a little, but the lock didn?t budge. So she decided to scream. She screamed, yelled, and hollered until her throat was raw. Obviously, there was no one close by. She sank down on the splintered, cold floor and cried. Devin would have to be insane to have done this to her. A feeling of cold, dark dread crept into Lakin?s soul. She shivered again and then started shaking. Lakin was lost, alone, and in real trouble. She cried out again, and she prayed.
