New Chains (an essay)

The first snowfall of the year brought about five inches of snow upon a chilly November afternoon. There were no "first snow" musings upon the introductory flakes but rather an instantaneous transition into the bold Michigan cynicism that comes along with having ones travel plans interrupted. Cars spun out, trees bent and branches fell. By six o’clock when darkness fell and the snow had not yet abated I returned home to find our internet had gone out. The dark, snowy evening was simply asking me to start a fire. So I obliged. As the hours wore on I sat (or lay) in front of the flames taking the ambient heat into my weary bones, something was missing. My mind raised some unknown objection. It felt as if I had misplaced my keys or a well-loved book. It was difficult to place but I finally pin-pointed the unease: the internet, it remained down.

No Netflix.

No Amazon music.

No Twitter.

I caught myself asking the subconscious question: ‘what am I going to do?’ and was appalled at my reliance upon something I once considered so trivial.

I hate that a wireless signal has become so ubiquitous that its absence creates a void within my heart.

I understand that utilities are conveniences which we cannot escape in our lives any more than we can escape our need for food or shelter, at least not in 2015 America. That’s not a bad thing necessarily. In fact, it would be wrong to decry and fight against the tide of technology. What is problematic is when anything takes a place upon some altar of our hearts. When anything, good or bad, becomes so ‘necessary’ to us that it pains us to let it go, we are treading upon dangerous ground. The throne of our hearts is meant only for our true King: Jesus and we should guard ourselves against getting so attached to things that we try and live our lives with divided loyalties.

Paul speaks of these inappropriate desires in his letter to the Corinthian church. [Note: the context for this verse is idol worship, but the underlying principle is transferable.]

All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for the food, but God will do away with both of them.

Now, nourishment is obviously a necessity but the need for food (in this case) should not hold sway over our hearts. Nothing should have so much control over us --- nothing, not food or family or money. Christ alone should rule our hearts. We should allow no impediment to occupy the throne of our hearts. We live in this world but we must not be ruled by it, not only because it dishonors the Lord, but because it will ultimately leave us empty and unfulfilled for we were made to be satisfied only by one thing--- Jesus Christ our Lord.

Jesus himself posed the question more pointedly, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul?”

Most of us would never think of our desire for a premium latte or access to Hulu as something we would forfeit our soul for, but the space these things occupy in our hearts and minds can often lead to bitterness and consternation when we are required to relinquish them.

“What will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Jesus continued.

We must continually keep our hearts in check; continually be self-diagnosing ourselves in order to determine where roots of materialism and pride are worming their way into the cracks of our hearts. No thing should in anyway come between us and our savior. No lingering doubt should exist in our hearts if we were asked to give up our possessions or our luxuries.

A.W. Tozer wrote of the aim of the believer who strives for such a state. “The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they will never be necessary to his happiness. Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all delight. Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it purely, legitimately and forever.”

May it be so with us.