The Communication Age

I'm sitting in a Starbuck's (as I do every Thursday) preparing/finalizing my sermon for this Sunday at Frontline (http://www.frontline.to/), and I'm having one of those "I can't believe this" moments. Now, I know that what I'm about to explain as an unbelieveable moment for me will seem rather unspectacular to most but here it is. It's unbelievable to me that I am currently connected to the entirety of the earth's online content with no wires and it costs me nothing! Wireless access to the world!!!! That's pretty empowering to a guy who grew up in a no computer, rotary phone, microwaveless, $.28/minute long distance world! Now I can type my blog on my mini-notebook with a wireless connection to the internet while the Starbucks employee is warming my incredibly tasty chocolate-covered glazed donut in the microwave. The world has become my very own oyster.

Strange as this transition may sound, the Israelites who understood what happened when Christ died on the cross, with the veil that covered the Holy of Holies being torn from top to bottom, must have felt the same way. Communication with their God, meaning communication with all Wisdom, was frighteningly limited for milennia. No one but the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies where God sat on His throne, and the priest was only allowed behind the veil once a year! One man had limited access to God. All the Israelites knew from generation to generation was a non-direct contact, a limited communication world between them and their God.

Then...everything changed! All of the sudden the line of communication was open and everyone could have direct contact with the Heavenly father through Jesus Christ! No more going to the Temple! No more purchasing animals for sacrifice. No more costly, indirect communication. Now every believer had direct, free access to the God of the Universe. Unbelievable!

So, yes I sit in this Starbucks having access to all worldly knowledge from my wireless computer at no cost, but (and this is truly unbelievable) as a Christ-follower, and thus a child of God, I sit in this Starbucks having free and uninterrupted access to my Heavenly Father! I need no laptop, no access code other than the name of Jesus! I have a twenty-four hour a day, 365 day a year open line to God! All this because Christ Himself, by His death on the cross, tore the veil and gave us the gift of eternal communion with our Father.

Live life today reflecting on the age of (spiritual) communication in which we live - unbelievable!

Carpe Deum! (Sieze God!)
Todd Phillips