The Parable of the Blackberry

So here I am again, waiting out another layover at Chicago O'Hare International on my way to Ottawa, Ontario for business. In case you've been wondering why I haven't posted a parable in nearly 6 months, there's really a very good reason ... and no, I'm not lazy (ok, maybe a little). Right after my last parable post (circa August 2007) I accepted a new position at Nortel. It was an amazing opportunity that just fell into my lap and one that I couldn't pass up. But the amazing opportunity came at a price. I've been working a lot more hours and have had to travel internationally quite a bit. So far it hasn't been too bad. My family seems to have adjusted well to the travel and I haven't burned myself out just yet.

One perk that came with the new role was that I could expense a media-rich device so that I'd have access to a phone, email, text messaging ... all that stuff ... while on the road. I decided on the Research In Motion (RIM) Blackberry Curve (8310). At first it was awesome; I mean, I'm a gadget geek to the core so any new tech toy I could play with was definitely a positive for me. For example, while stranded here at Chicago O'Hare I can:

• Call home and talk with my kids
• Check my work and personal email
• Browse the internet
• Text message with co-workers
• Listen to music / watch videos
• Locate local attractions with built in GPS
  

But again, all of this comes at a cost. Sure, my company reimburses me for the monthly service charges but because they do, they also expect me to be available 24x7. The same benefits I listed above that enrich my life, are also used by my company to keep a grip on me. It's like I have a thousand mile leash ... I can run, but sooner or later they're going to come calling and yank that telephonic cord that's attached to my hip. So it's really a blessing and a cursing.

Pretty much how I feel about my Blackberry 8310 (Dude, cut the cord) - photo compliments of Flickr.com

But as I'm composing this parable about my Blackberry, it's made me think about the other 'always on' connections I have in my life. For example, on a more positive note, I will always be there for my family. And in like manner, God is always there for His family. In Deuteronomy 31:6 we are reminded that, "... the LORD your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you." So it doesn't matter where you're at or what time of day it is, God will always be there for you to talk to, to confide in, to provide comfort and peace. And one of the best ways to take advantage of this 'always on' connection is through a healthy prayer life. But I always hear, "Aaron, I just don't know how to pray ... so I don't." Well today we're going to unpack this communication with God thing that we call prayer.

So WHEN is the right time to pray? Well scripture tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "pray continually." Now I know what you're saying, "How in the world am I supposed to pray all the time everywhere I go? I mean I've got to eat sometime don't I? Surely God doesn't want me praying with my mouth full (that ain't nuthin' but nasty). And I've got to sleep ... surely God doesn't want me talking in my sleep. And I drive a lot ... surely God doesn't want me driving with my eyes closed, right?" Well praying continually isn't about being on your knees with your eyes closed 24x7. Don't get me wrong, bowing or kneeling in prayer are great ways to honor our Creator by humbling ourselves. But it's not about praying every second of every day ... it's more of a mindset (or "heartset"). See God just wants to hear from us ... what's going on in our lives, the things we can praise him for, the things we need His help with, and how we'd like Him to help others too.

Next, HOW do should we pray? We try to make prayer into this formula or masterpiece with complex vocabulary when Jesus really had something totally different in mind. Mattew 6:6-7 reminds us, "But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." You see it's not about the kind of words we use or how we can win a pray-a-thon ("I prayed 93 minutes straight without messing up!"), it's about the special intimate connection we have with God, an unbreakable connection through prayer ... dialog that is totally unscripted and comes from the heart.

So we've covered the WHEN and the HOW, but have you ever asked yourself, WHY do I pray? I think we’re a lot like a few of the disciples that were with Jesus one night in the garden of Gethsemane. You see Jesus brought these disciples with him because he knew that the next day he would be crucified on the cross and that thought was so heavy for Jesus to bear that he needed his friends there with him to pray for him. So Jesus left and he came back an hour later only to find his friends asleep and he looked at them and said, “Couldn’t you guys even stay awake for one hour to pray for me?” and then he said to Peter: “Watch and pray that you don’t fall into temptation for the spirit is willing but the body is weak.” See Jesus knew the answer to why we pray. You see because when we pray we have this amazing ability to tap into God’s power and Jesus knew that if the disciples would just pray that they could fight temptation. And not only can prayer help you to fight temptation but in James 5:16 it says, “For the prayers of a righteous man are powerful and effective.” So my question to you is this: What if you prayed and what if God did something amazing through YOUR prayers?

The power of prayer is real and it can change lives. But how does prayer relate to your life, I mean you've only spent the last few minutes reading about prayer in this blog but what does it mean for you? Well, maybe for some of you, you need to make a decision and say God I’m going to pray to you continually. Maybe for some of you you struggle with the knowledge of how to pray ... you might not know what to say or how to start. So maybe you just need to drive in your car or go for a walk and talk to God like he was your best friend. In reality that’s all God really desires. You can say, "God, I’m so depressed right now" or "God, I hurt so bad inside right now and no one understands it" or "My parents are getting a divorce and I have no one to talk to, I just want to talk to you God." Perhaps maybe for you you are struggling with temptation with something that has this grip on you. In Psalms it says, “God I called on you and you healed me.” Maybe you just need to call out to God and say "I've got this thing in my life that’s got a grip on me and I need your help God" or maybe you need to go to a trusted friend or parent or church leader and say I just need you to pray for me.

But for others of you you need to pray the most important prayer in your life. The bible is very clear that whoever calls on the name of Lord will be saved. You see Jesus knew how important it was to pray. In fact, when he hung on the cross, Jesus’ last words were a prayer. And immediately following that prayer Jesus died so that you an I could have life. So right now, if you want to accept Jesus as your personal savior just pray this little prayer in your HEART (the words themselves mean nothing; its believing them in your heart that's important) ...

"Dear Lord, I believe you lived a sinless life, you died and rose from the dead. I know and confess that I am a sinner and am lost without you. I ask you to forgive my sins and come into my heart. I give my life to you and want to live for you the rest of my life. I thank you Lord and praise you. Please guide me and direct me for the rest of my life! In Jesus name I pray, Amen."

Welcome to the family ... and just so you know, God doesn't need GPS technology to know where you are and He certainly doesn't need high tech gadgets to communicate with you. Prayer is our 'always on' connection with our Almighty Father in Heaven.