Okay Google

Acts 17:27 “God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.”

I love the voice activation on my phone. All I have to do is say, Okay Google, and access to whatever information I’m looking for opens up. The other day Chip and I were traveling in the car and he happened to say the two magic words in conversation. Suddenly we heard a little voice from my purse asking how to assist! Kinda’ creepy. But that’s our world today.

I wish our culture relied on the Holy Spirit as much as we relied on Google to give us direction. But looking to sources other than God has been with us for a very long time.

Take first century Athens.

The people living there depended on gods—and lots of them—for guidance. When Paul arrived and saw all their idols, he explained how they could discover the one true God. The God over all other “gods” was in fact reachable! If they turned from their idols and sought him, they would find him. They didn’t have to be seeped in human knowledge or perform great exploits. The source of truth was closer than they could imagine.

I think we’re not all that different from the Athenians. Oh we don’t worship idols of stone, but it seems we’re apt to rely on anything other than a God who holds us accountable for our actions. We can control our self-constructed substitutes for God. They’re safe and comfortable, not too demanding.  But they’re also false.

The true God “is not far away from any one of us.” He’s even more accessible than our phones and smart speakers. And he wants us to seek him. He desires for us to rely on his wisdom rather than man’s. To come to him in our decision-making. To rely on his supernatural power and love. And help other people reach out to this reachable God.

So I’m taking a tip from my phone activation app. I’m going to be more intentional in seeking God in all I do, whether it’s teaching a class or taking my neighbor an apple pie. I want to follow his leading. Ready?

Okay, Holy Spirit!