TGIF
My email is full of multiple announcements of it’s arrival.
The iPhone 5 is here.
“The wait is over” say the ads.
I haven’t been waiting.
My old phone is in pristine condition and I can’t afford to replace it with something slightly thinner, slightly taller, and with a few more features, some of which are reported to actually work.
Still, as I go to work this morning there will be lines of people lining up outside the carriers stores to make sure that they are among the first to have the new symbol of everything cool.
Many will be disappointed as I already know that inventory on the magic device is “constrained’…they will leave still carrying the magic device they spent hundreds on last year.
They will leave the stores empty handed and quite probably angry, having believed the cultural and corporate message that they have been denied something they both need and want.
Those that actually are able to buy the device will be thrilled for a few days, then begin to pine for the next round of magical devices to come in a year or so.
This morning I got something I both needed and wanted…for free.
Mercy.
I was also reminded of receiving other things I need and want…
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insightmaking known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christas a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,to the praise of his glory.”
(Ephesians 1:3–14 ESV)
There was no line and no charge as Someone had already purchased it for me.
You’d think there would be a line where you can get this stuff for free…you’d think.
Maybe we need better advertising.
Make your own application…
FIRST!!!
Good word as always on the TGIF.
I recommend Tracfones. That will kill anybody’s phone-pride.
I have a 7 year old cell phone that I inherited from my wife once she was done with it. It functions mostly as our land line at home. It primarily sits on my dresser.
I think it takes photos.
earlier this morning i was reading the 17th chapter of John – so it is easy to make my own application today, but we could improve our advertising skills, nonetheless … and there’s other ‘applications’ …
This post is about two things I love dearly:
1: Hatred of tech culture.
2: The mercy of the Lord.
Good stuff, Michael!
Amen and amen…… The 10th Commandment is still true today “thou shalt not covet’… the latest material/advertised/techie gadget…
The admonition to Be Thankful in all things is still the Will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning you/me/us/all
Amen….Michael…glad you are well, back to work, walking in the Spirit even in material techland.
Yeah, you’re right. But it is still a cool phone. I see God’s hand in anything new and cool. Some of these Luddites would have told God, after He made the first one hundred stars, “Come on God! How many stars do you really need?” God seems to really enjoy overdoing it. When we are in heaven, I imagine some people will sit there on a cloud with Harp 1.0, while others will explore and create forever. Hope I’m the second type.
(My best self-justification/spiritual mumbo jumbo for buying the iPhone 5. That and the fact that I skipped the 4s so I’m actually frugal. And yes, I pay for my own phones personally.)
I can’t believe I’m commenting on a tech post …
I’m a dinosaur, but I have to adapt. College kids won’t talk, they only text, so I learned to text. No one give directions anymore, so I need a GPS in my direction app. Can’t refer to just one version of the Bible anymore, so I need my Bible with a gazillion different versions in it (cause it’s smaller than carrying them!) etc…
My old flip phone which was fine for me, is now like an old flame … fond memories, but it’s gotta go. Gonna get an I-phone 4, cause they are giving them away for free and I can use it in other countries.
But I have to say …
When I’m in Bible study and the internet in the building goes down, the class is paralyzed … till I turn the page …
I’m not a big techno guy, but I do love what I have. I never buy the “new” stuff, I’m usually a couple of versions behind. My DVD broke (my last 2 were hand me downs) so I needed a new one and someone suggested Blu Ray.
I found I could get Netflix through it so I said “what the hey!”. So now, in my upgraded techno world I have spent this week watching Murder She Wrote and Adam-12 until my eyeballs are ready to fall out.
thank you, MLD – i’ve been way busier than i’m used to and when i’m wiped out mentally and physically, i’ve been decompressing by marathon watching all those old bridal shows that i never would have watched on cable TV (i like pretty dresses and am a romantic at heart anyway) – one ‘wedding planner’ set in Fort Worth, TX was actually good
London suggested watching Doc Martin – the Brits are good at quirky
sooo? so i’d been feeling guilty until MLD’s #10 … i still like using emoticons, but they’ve gone the way of the flip-phone, i guess … that’s the only one i have or want to have BTW
my #11 could have been clearer, i was thanking MLD for what i read in his #10 – it made me feel less guilty for watching too much Neflix stuff lately – hope i didn’t make MLD feel really old 😆
I am a phonophobe. I absolutely detest talking on the phone, even to people whom I love. Texting is mercy to me. My dinosaurophone texts. I’m happy with that.
“2: The mercy of the Lord.”
An honest confession I use to lean on this the first say one year after I became a Christian, which I know did not happen. After that and for the last 31+ years I have always considered this an extremely unreasonable expectation, and that is on a good day. I always found that strange but it is how I “feel” (another thing a Christian should never ever do).