21st Century Christians Challenge

I think this generation is different from previous ones. Without a doubt, there are ways and tendencies that are consistent with cultures and peoples throughout time. The Bible says, “There is nothing new under then sun” Ecclesiastes 1:9.

The uniqueness of the 21st century is that there are more distractions than ever before. Every moment can actually be consumed with things that are trivial. Never before have we had an opportunity to watch hundreds of television stations. And when you add to that the barrage of tweets, facebook updates, and cell phone conversations, it’s easy to see the many things vying for our attention.

As Christians, we are encouraged to grow in our faith by Bible reading and praying. Those two activities can seem boring and slow in comparison to the instant information and interaction that our technology allows. Why spend the time reading when I can just do a word search for the answers I need? Why spend time praying and waiting on God when I have the world feeding me what I want to hear at a push of a button? I believe that today’s Christians have to face the challenge of finding God through the clutter of the other stuff that fills our lives. To the degree we do that successfully is to the degree that we will engage with God in a way that changes us and gives us hope to give others.

So what is the solution? I believe that the solution for the 21st century Christian is the same “old” truth of the Bible. It’s to find God more pleasurable and engaging than everything else. That is relatively easy because He already is. We can put so much on our faith that we forget the basics. God is more glorious, beautiful, and desirable than anything else in all of creation.

So when faced with the decision to connect with Almighty God or play the latest game console, we choose to throw the console out the window (not literally, but you get the point). When the decision comes to engage in this love relationship with the Alpha and Omega or to send one more tweet, it’s simple. Go for that which will satisfy, and only He can do that! When the followers of Christ see Him exalted above all else, we automatically compel others to come and see. May God ruin us for all other fleeting pursuits.