LightGrams
September 24, 2020
Volume 24, Number 34
The village of Aberhosan, Wales was completely frustrated. The residents had watched helplessly every morning for 18 months as their Internet signals went down. It happened each day at the same time: 7:00 a.m. What in the world was happening?!
Engineers from Openreach, the company that maintains telephone and Internet service in Britain, converged on Aberhosan to try to find the problem. One morning they began at 6:00 a.m. in a driving rain, hoping to detect an outburst of electrical interference. At 7:00 a.m., just as always, the surge happened again.
Finally the source of this surge was pinpointed. An elderly resident was turning on their old TV set each morning at 7. When they learned they were the cause of the problems, they promised never to use that ancient appliance again. Problem solved!
I have an observation about some people around me. It’s not based on surveys or empirical data, but it just seems to me that the “signals” from heaven are being blocked. From watching their behavior and listening to their speech, it seems obvious that they’re not receiving God’s lessons on how to live life. Could faulty TVs be to blame?
It’s no secret that Americans are devoted to their TV programs. Some programs are OK, I suppose, but even if the only thing we watch is “The Andy Griffith Show”, if it interferes with time spent in the Bible – that’s not a good thing.
John stated our challenge in this way: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). John wasn’t referring to a love of nature, but loving the lifestyle that the world advocates.
Jesus once spoke about His mission in coming to earth: “… I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). But in order to enjoy that abundant life, we have to know it. It takes time and concentrated effort to know God’s ways, and a dedication to living those things we learn.
The first Psalm states clearly another facet of our challenge: The one who will be blessed by God will not walk in the ways of sinners, David wrote, “but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2). If I’m bingeing on TV and other media, how will God’s “signals” reach into my heart?
The elderly resident of Aberhosan gave us a good example: they vowed to never again use their old TV if it was blocking the Internet signals for others. David gives us another good example: “I will set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me” (Psalm 101:3).
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2020, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “[email protected]” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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