Being ALL in

                                                        Photo Credit: Alex Setzer

On Wednesday in the sermon notes, we found out God's assignment for us.  Wherever you are, be ALL there.  The great commission obviously tells us what Jesus wants us to do.  In order to do that, we have to be aware of where we are and with whom we are visiting.  In today's society, it is much easier to be in two places.  I can physically be in my house, but via the Internet I can also be hanging out with a few friends.  I can physically be at a restaurant with family, but via Twitter I can be in a stadium watching a game.  I can physically be at work, but via text message I can be gossiping with a friend.

Those examples and so many more scratch the surface of this fast paced constantly connected society in which we live.  We work more hours often doing more than our job description says.  We have a phone, type writer, and computer in our pockets all the time.  We can communicate with someone sitting beside us or someone across the world.  There are certainly many advantages to that, but one big disadvantage is that we are always connected.  How can we possibly be all there in one place when we are on our computer, or our laptop, or our cellphone, or our tablet computer?  How can we possibly be all there in a conversation if we are watching TV?

Those questions cut me pretty deep because I am an offender.  I hear my phone ding and I want to go check it, instead of leaving it alone and staying with the group.  I am waiting in a lobby or waiting room and I check Twitter or Facebook, instead of talking to the person next to me and looking for teachable moment given to me by God.  At home, I turn the TV on before I get in the floor to play with my son.  With so many distractions, it is not easy to focus and stay right where we are.  When we focus where we are at, it is much easier to do something instead of just thinking about it.  We can turn our intentions into actions when we focus on where we are.  Let's make sure that we are doing what God wants us to be doing and not distracting ourselves with unnecessary things.