I lost internet for two days over the weekend. Many will read that sentence and feel my pain. I can feel the shared sympathy. Thank you! There was a time when the internet could have gone out and I would have never known. That time is long since past. Now, it does not matter what I am doing, it involves the internet.
I have over 20 internet enabled devices in my home, and quite honestly, that is without trying. I’ve passed on many options to include the internet that most likely won’t be options soon. Did you know they make refrigerators that connect to the internet? They have for years. Soon it will be standard on all models. I don’t own an internet watch, a web based doorbell, or WiFi light bulbs… but all of these have existed for quite some time. My 20 devices online at the moment will likely become 40 in a very short amount of time… without even trying to buy internet enabled devices.
The true testament to how deeply I rely on the interwebs can be seen when the internet connection is dropped. Because nearly everything we do relies on some form of connectivity, my plans are deviated when the outage occurs. In other words, every single time the internet goes down, I have to find something else to do. I have my own top 10 list of things I attempt to do to pass the time while the internet is out:
- Organize my email (check from my backlog, reply, file things in folders, etc).
- Play online games
- Online banking
- Get caught up on Facebook.
- Watch videos on YouTube.
- Talk to someone (using Skype or VOIP technology)
- Just watch a movie (Netflix, Prime, Hulu, etc)
- Do some shopping (Amazon, Newegg, Slickdeals)
- Engage any of my hobbies (writing, photography, etc all requiring online tools)
- Misc (Check news, sports stats, fantasy teams, taxes, browsing, etc… all online).
I have to go through a routine of shock and confusion before it sinks in that everything I do routes back to the internet in some way. Even with the knowledge that my connection has been severed, my gut reaction based on habit and muscle memory is to try to do things that I forgot relied on that link.
This is very similar to how our relationship with God should be. All things lead to Him. He is a part of everything. Everything that we do should honor Him and point to Him in some way. Should He ever be apart from us… we would be hopeless. Lost. Worthless.
Jesus was disconnected from God when He took our place on the cross. We call that ‘Hell’.
It’s getting more difficult to find things to do when the data stops pouring into my home. Can we think of things that we can accomplish without God? Can we imagine a world without God? My hope is that we are so committed to the life God blessed us with that we serve Him in every act, word, and thought… so much so, that even without thinking, our muscle memory and great habits take over and we continue to nurture others as we build on the relationship ourselves.
My Companion 