butterfly

I’m just checking my email. . . again. 

Did you see on Facebook that [fill in the blank] is doing [fill in the blank]? 

I’m sorry, let me see what this text is about.

I love the convenience of my Iphone. Music wraps me in worship as I walk. It keeps me organized with Evernote. My Kindle app provides me with books that I can read anywhere and at any time.

Pictures or videos can be uploaded instantly to family and friends. Social media has the power to connect me to people I love, and new and old friends. And when I get lost? Google Maps helps me find my way every time.

All of these are positive things. . . except sometimes my Iphone is bigger than Jesus.

What? Suzie, your Iphone isn’t bigger than Jesus. Nothing is bigger than Jesus.

You’re right.

Yet anything that consumes us has the potential to be bigger than the Jesus waiting to be released in us. 

Hear my heart, sweet friend. I’m a grace, grace girl through and through. There’s not a legalistic bone in my body. In fact, I run the other way from legalism.

But when I read Luke 5:8, I can see myself instead.

When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m too much of a sinner to be around you.”

Jesus has suddenly become bigger than anything for Simon. Bigger than his plans for the day. Bigger than a fisherman’s exhaustion. Bigger than his knowledge or expertise.

Awe tilted Simon’s worldview and completely changed his faith from that moment forward.

It forged a friendship so deep that Simon vowed that he’d do anything for Him and go anywhere. Simon Peter wasn’t always perfect and sometimes he fell hard as he followed Jesus, but you cannot doubt the relationship between the two.

And there it is.

The word that highlighted that sometimes my Iphone is bigger than Jesus.

Because I have a pretty tight relationship with my Iphone.

If I misplaced or broke it, I’d be lost without it. I check in way too much throughout the day. Sometimes it pulls at me even as I intentionally leave it in my purse as I chat with a friend.

Nothing that insignificant should have that big of a hold on my heart.

Is there anything in your life that is bigger than Jesus?

If the answer is yes, then hear that invitation from Jesus for a deeper and transforming relationship with Him.

So, what’s next?

  • Be honest with yourself. 

I don’t like it when people lie to me, but we often lie to ourselves. Is there something that is consuming you and it’s not necessarily a healthy consumption?

If so, call it what it is, whether it’s success or another person or Facebook or anger.

It’s not the label that is important, but the invitation to be free that matters here.

  • Do something

Isn’t that profound? ♥

Simon wanted to run away when Jesus became bigger, but the invitation from Jesus was to leave the old behind instead.

I love that about Jesus. 

What will I do with that invitation? Rather than toss my Iphone in the trash, it’s going to receive a lot less of me. It will take its rightful place as a handy tool. That means that it comes after my time with Jesus, which leads me to the heart of God.

That means that I check it a certain number of times per day, as it loses the pull on me and I give more weight to other things way bigger.

It means that I don’t have to answer every email, every text, every call instantly.

What is your plan?

For your relationship with anger?

Or your relationship with success?

Or your relationship with that person or thing that consumes far more than you originally thought it would?

What is your plan for Facebook?

A big part of that plan is inviting Jesus into the process. Let’s do that right now.

Walk through this with each of us, Father. Others might see this as trivial, but you know better. You don’t desire that anything consume or rob us of what is truly awe inspiring. Thank you for leading us to give this its rightful place in the equation of our lives and relationship with You. In Your powerful name, amen.

Suzie

Q: The word “fear” and “awe” are intertwined in Psalm 33:8. In this passage, fear is a discovery process of the magnitude of God. It’s to truly see God as Creator.

The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created.  He breathed the word, and all the stars were born. He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs. Let the whole world fear the Lordand let everyone stand in awe of him. Psalm 33:8 (NLT)

What do you believe God is trying to create inside of you? 

Q: What was your initial reaction to the title of this blog?

Q: Is there anything that consumes you, and you don’t like the hold it has?

Q: Remember, this can’t be a legalistic romp that leads to guilt, but rather an invitation. What is the invitation in this for you?

 Thank you to Rebecca Drake of bdrakephotography for permission and use of this beautiful photo.