Hey! Who's up for another Appalachian Trial analogy?
Anyone who’s done any significant hiking in the Southern Appalachians has most likely encountered some pretty intense fog. As the warm moist air of the Southeast is uplifted on contact with the mountains it encounters the cooler air at higher altitude causing these thick, pea soup conditions. It’s because of persistent fog that we’ve named them the “Smokey Mountains.“ And during my travels on the Appalachian Trail I’ve experienced times where I’ve hiked nearly entire days unable to see more than a few feet at best.
Under those conditions it’s especially important to literally watch ones step. Even on a good day it’s possible to lose ones bearings, find that you took a wrong turn a mile back and have to backtrack. Enshrouded in dense fog, that difficulty multiplies, so constant vigilance is required in order to stay on the path.
It can also be dangerous. Since trails often skirt along steep drop offs and even cliffs, it’s conceivable that one could simply step over the side.
All this is quite exhausting, and not at all exalting, because, as you reach the crests of those mountains you know that, but for the fog, you’d be enjoying a beautiful vista with fifty miles or more of visibility. Those mind blowing mountains are out there behind the veil, but you have to walk on by without this pay off from your climb. It’s very frustrating, and by the end of such a day you’re wet and tired and discouraged.
Isn’t this very much like what we encounter in the course of our modern lives? As Christians attempting to keep to the narrow path it seems that the World is always there to obscure the way and lead us off course. These days we live in a media cocoon of sex, degradation, and materialism. It’s everywhere, and it sends up a seductively pervasive siren call enticing us to feed our lust, greed, and self-absorption. The din is constant, and deliberately leaves precious little, if any, time to look inward or outward – to be still and know that He is God.
Even though I strive to find quiet in my own life, extended silence is proving to be an elusive quality. Eight hours a day I work in an office in which the radio plays full time. My coworkers insist on it. And whether Top Forty Pop or Christian Contemporary – I find them both equally distracting. I’ve come to treasure the solace of my commute to work. I used to listen to music or news during my daily drive time, but since giving myself to Christ and coming to recognize the value of quiet I now turn off the radio and drive in blessed silence.
In the evening I arrive home to the constant presence of television. And oh what an immoral wasteland that is! A typical evening of channel surfing will find a group of immature and oversexed, exhibitionistic young adults living their self-absorbed lives out loud on the “reality” show Jersey Shore, a cable news host self-righteously picking over the bones of the latest tragedy or scandal, any number of morally vacuous network series, and a group of you men (or young women) exhibiting all manner of adolescent shenanigans and/or vicious subterfuge to supposedly win the heart of a designated bachelor or bachelorette. All of it ugly and all of it empty. Looking for something a little more high minded? Well you can tune into The National Geographic Channel to hear their take on “The Real Jesus.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t trust anyone to tell me anything about Jesus that can’t be found in The Word.
Television isn’t without merit. You’ll find the occasional gem there, but doing so is pretty daunting.
And let’s not forget the Internet. Hey, I’m a blogger and a podcaster, so it’s obvious that I’m quite at home in the Digital Universe. The World Wide Web is, hands down, the most powerful communication medium ever. Power to do good, and power to destroy. I’m now involved in using that power to share the Gospel and my personal experiences as a Christian, and it’s been an incredible resource in that regard. But I can’t open my in-box without encountering multiple offers for this or that sexually oriented service. The most heartbreaking I’ve seen in a while is for a site offering to connect married or committed people with each other touting the tag line, “Life is Short, Have An Affair.”
One can harness this power for good or for bad. Facebook and other social networks have exploded in membership recent years to the point of becoming true phenomenon and making billionaires of their developers. And I think they’re pretty cool. I‘ve reconnected with tons of friends I most likely never would have heard from had it not been for Facebook. It’s a great service if kept in perspective, but far too many find themselves spending hours a night chatting or playing on-line games available there while neglecting their families and while neglecting God. (Your Humble Blogger is quite guilty on all counts)
But when I accepted Christ last October, I was able to make a very public confession of faith to the two hundred or so friends I have on Facebook. And I’m frequently heartened to see others share bits of scripture or requests for prayer there. So, this can be a very positive tool when used sparingly. Still, despite all it’s potential positives, it should be recognized that social media is part of the noise and should be kept in perspective.
I don’t’ think I even need to go into the terribly corrosive effect of on-line pornography. That’s the fog at it’s thickest.
And aside from the electronic media, keep in mind that magazines, newspaper, and billboards also contribute to the mantra: BUY, AMASS, LUST, WANT!
Recognize this for what it is: A smoke screen, a fog sent up by The Enemy to block our view of God’s glory, obscure the path, and, perhaps, lead us hopelessly astray. We may even walk off the very edge all the while believing our next step will fall firmly on solid ground.
But there’s great news - we can turn off the fog machine whenever we want. Sure, we live in Satan’s world, and will by necessity have to move through the fog. But, in our own homes, in our own cars, in our private places we can gain control of the fog. We can judiciously limit our TV and Internet time. We can turn drivetime into Godtime. In so doing we can see through to the glory of God's reality.
As believers it’s vitally important that we do so. We need to find time each day to shut out the noise, the melt away the fog, and simply be with out Lord. Scripture revealed Christ doing just that time and again:
Matthew 14:22-23 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
So I resolve to redouble my own quiet time. And to not allow the pressing urgency of the World, an enticing television schedule, or the lure of the Internet to draw me away. And I resolve to watch my step when I can’t help but move through the fog. It’s tricky ground out there, let’s all be careful!
Anyone who’s done any significant hiking in the Southern Appalachians has most likely encountered some pretty intense fog. As the warm moist air of the Southeast is uplifted on contact with the mountains it encounters the cooler air at higher altitude causing these thick, pea soup conditions. It’s because of persistent fog that we’ve named them the “Smokey Mountains.“ And during my travels on the Appalachian Trail I’ve experienced times where I’ve hiked nearly entire days unable to see more than a few feet at best.
Under those conditions it’s especially important to literally watch ones step. Even on a good day it’s possible to lose ones bearings, find that you took a wrong turn a mile back and have to backtrack. Enshrouded in dense fog, that difficulty multiplies, so constant vigilance is required in order to stay on the path.
It can also be dangerous. Since trails often skirt along steep drop offs and even cliffs, it’s conceivable that one could simply step over the side.
All this is quite exhausting, and not at all exalting, because, as you reach the crests of those mountains you know that, but for the fog, you’d be enjoying a beautiful vista with fifty miles or more of visibility. Those mind blowing mountains are out there behind the veil, but you have to walk on by without this pay off from your climb. It’s very frustrating, and by the end of such a day you’re wet and tired and discouraged.
Isn’t this very much like what we encounter in the course of our modern lives? As Christians attempting to keep to the narrow path it seems that the World is always there to obscure the way and lead us off course. These days we live in a media cocoon of sex, degradation, and materialism. It’s everywhere, and it sends up a seductively pervasive siren call enticing us to feed our lust, greed, and self-absorption. The din is constant, and deliberately leaves precious little, if any, time to look inward or outward – to be still and know that He is God.
Even though I strive to find quiet in my own life, extended silence is proving to be an elusive quality. Eight hours a day I work in an office in which the radio plays full time. My coworkers insist on it. And whether Top Forty Pop or Christian Contemporary – I find them both equally distracting. I’ve come to treasure the solace of my commute to work. I used to listen to music or news during my daily drive time, but since giving myself to Christ and coming to recognize the value of quiet I now turn off the radio and drive in blessed silence.
In the evening I arrive home to the constant presence of television. And oh what an immoral wasteland that is! A typical evening of channel surfing will find a group of immature and oversexed, exhibitionistic young adults living their self-absorbed lives out loud on the “reality” show Jersey Shore, a cable news host self-righteously picking over the bones of the latest tragedy or scandal, any number of morally vacuous network series, and a group of you men (or young women) exhibiting all manner of adolescent shenanigans and/or vicious subterfuge to supposedly win the heart of a designated bachelor or bachelorette. All of it ugly and all of it empty. Looking for something a little more high minded? Well you can tune into The National Geographic Channel to hear their take on “The Real Jesus.” I don’t know about you, but I don’t trust anyone to tell me anything about Jesus that can’t be found in The Word.
Television isn’t without merit. You’ll find the occasional gem there, but doing so is pretty daunting.
And let’s not forget the Internet. Hey, I’m a blogger and a podcaster, so it’s obvious that I’m quite at home in the Digital Universe. The World Wide Web is, hands down, the most powerful communication medium ever. Power to do good, and power to destroy. I’m now involved in using that power to share the Gospel and my personal experiences as a Christian, and it’s been an incredible resource in that regard. But I can’t open my in-box without encountering multiple offers for this or that sexually oriented service. The most heartbreaking I’ve seen in a while is for a site offering to connect married or committed people with each other touting the tag line, “Life is Short, Have An Affair.”
One can harness this power for good or for bad. Facebook and other social networks have exploded in membership recent years to the point of becoming true phenomenon and making billionaires of their developers. And I think they’re pretty cool. I‘ve reconnected with tons of friends I most likely never would have heard from had it not been for Facebook. It’s a great service if kept in perspective, but far too many find themselves spending hours a night chatting or playing on-line games available there while neglecting their families and while neglecting God. (Your Humble Blogger is quite guilty on all counts)
But when I accepted Christ last October, I was able to make a very public confession of faith to the two hundred or so friends I have on Facebook. And I’m frequently heartened to see others share bits of scripture or requests for prayer there. So, this can be a very positive tool when used sparingly. Still, despite all it’s potential positives, it should be recognized that social media is part of the noise and should be kept in perspective.
I don’t’ think I even need to go into the terribly corrosive effect of on-line pornography. That’s the fog at it’s thickest.
And aside from the electronic media, keep in mind that magazines, newspaper, and billboards also contribute to the mantra: BUY, AMASS, LUST, WANT!
Recognize this for what it is: A smoke screen, a fog sent up by The Enemy to block our view of God’s glory, obscure the path, and, perhaps, lead us hopelessly astray. We may even walk off the very edge all the while believing our next step will fall firmly on solid ground.
But there’s great news - we can turn off the fog machine whenever we want. Sure, we live in Satan’s world, and will by necessity have to move through the fog. But, in our own homes, in our own cars, in our private places we can gain control of the fog. We can judiciously limit our TV and Internet time. We can turn drivetime into Godtime. In so doing we can see through to the glory of God's reality.
As believers it’s vitally important that we do so. We need to find time each day to shut out the noise, the melt away the fog, and simply be with out Lord. Scripture revealed Christ doing just that time and again:
Matthew 14:22-23 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone,
So I resolve to redouble my own quiet time. And to not allow the pressing urgency of the World, an enticing television schedule, or the lure of the Internet to draw me away. And I resolve to watch my step when I can’t help but move through the fog. It’s tricky ground out there, let’s all be careful!
