TV Theology

This morning my son invited me to the couch so we could watch some TV together and snuggle. This is prime time, folks, so I followed him into the TV room, and we made ourselves comfy and hit the button on the remote. Nothing.

Huh.

I pushed the "source" button. Nothing.

I turned the DVD player off and rebooted it. Nothing.

I turned the DVR box off and on. Nothing.

Finally, in an act of frustration--there was no desperation but definite frustration--I called WonderMan on his cell phone. Our conversation went something like this:

"The TV won't work."

"Is it on?"

Trying to curb my tone, "Yes."

"Change the source button."

"I did. Nothing."

"Are you sure it is in the right place?" I read the "source" information to him. "Huh. Try the DVD box."

"Turned it off and rebooted it."

"You know you have to reset it."

"There is nothing to reset. There are no words on the screen asking me to pick a language. There is nothing."

"Huh. Have you....?" He told me to do everything I had already done. Then a lightbulb went on. "Is it just black?'

"Yes."

"Then that channel isn't working. Change the channel."

I hit the channel up button, and lo and behold, TV!

I was glad to get the TV going, but I confess, I was a bit annoyed. I'm old enough to remember when we had four channels to watch, and you know what? I never had to call tehnical help to find out how to pull the on/off button out or push it in. I never had to call anyone to find out how to turn the knob to change the channels. It was so much simpler.

Some argue TV is better now because it offers so many options and so much information. Really? Then why do people I talk to complain that they have 100s of channels with nothing to see on them? Seems like it offers a bunch of distractions that encourage us to sit in our comfy spots instead of getting out and getting involved in life. Some call it escape. I tend to think it is hiding, but that is my opinion. Take it for what the Holy Spirit says it is worth.

Personally, simple works for me.

This morning I was sitting in my comfy spot having my quiet time, and I asked the Lord simply, "What do you want to speak to me?" He took me to the last chapter of Matthew. I've read it several times, but I truly believed it was of God so I read it again.

The chapter tells of Jesus being tried, condemned, crucified, buried, and raised again. It tells how He made His resurrection known to people, but some still doubted. It also ends simply: Then Jesus came to them and said, "18 All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Does theology get any easier than that?

--Jesus has all authority.

--Make disciples. Folks need to learn to be like Jesus. thsi step is learning our try identities, becoming who we were truly created to be. We were created for His glory. In being disciples we learn how to glorify the Father.

--Baptizing them. EVERYONE should be baptized. Notice the baptizing comes after the acceptance of Christ.

--Teach them to obey everything I commanded. That sounds daunting, but it isn't. What did Jesus command? Love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our mind and with all our strength and to love our neighbor as ourself. In short, Jesus' command is simple--LOVE!

Too simple? Like a 4-channel TV set? Well, it has the essential information, and it doesn't waste my time on opinion, debates, and unnecessary information. AND it puts the responsibility to act back on me. It doesn't allow me a comfy spot where I can live vicariously through others. It doesn't give me the opportunity to channel surf because I don't like what's on. Instead, it says simply, "Jesus is the one in charge, and He says I am responsible for developing a relationship with God and growing in it. " No place to hide there, is there?

Yep, simple works for me.

Praying the Lord keeps reminding me of the power of simple faith especially when others tell me complicated is better...