Prayer for identification at our information age
Laura Bailey
Bible Reading:
“My son, and to make many books, anything in addition to them, is endless, and many studies are exhausting.” Evangelists 12:12 niv
Read or listen to the following:
A few years ago, we started to get together to discuss books we read, books we wanted to read, and books we wanted to read. Over the years, conversations have changed from “current readings” to deeper discussions about family, life and faith. As an avid reader, these women are knowledgeable about many topics. But what I like most about my sweet sisters of Christ is the book they read the most: God’s Word.
We live in an age where it’s easy to find answers to questions like who the teenage US president is, how to prune roses that match oily skin, and how high schools live within seconds. Information accessibility can be beneficial, but unlimited data exposure can be harmful.
Take a look at the example above. You don’t need to leave the house to support your third grade project. That’s a victory! After getting involved in the internet a few times, discovering that roses are a lot of work can save you time and money. That’s a good thing! If you can quickly find the right product for your skin without having to scroll through social media or buy anything you don’t need, that’s good! Perhaps it’s an innocent quest of someone from our past, but that information is probably something we don’t need to know.
The apostle Paul tells the Corinthian Church that we may be forgiven, but that does not mean they are beneficial to us (1 Corinthians 10:23). Because it doesn’t mean we should. Solomon shares this same sentiment when discussing the quest for human knowledge. (ecclesiastes 12:12 niv)
Solomon was the wisest man who ever lived (1 Kings 3:12). His wisdom, accompanied by identification, was a blessing and gift from God. Yet, despite Solomon having divine wisdom, he spent most of his life trying to grow his earthly knowledge. Solomon studied, read and worked tirelessly to understand humanity and to find answers to all his questions. Solomon fell for an ancient lie that he could become like a god. If he had just gotten more information, he would at least know everything on this side of heaven. Yet we find in the book of the Church that Solomon’s merciless quest for knowledge makes him less intelligent. In fact, it often brought about a deeper sense of inadequacy and confusion.
Solomon warns about the pitfalls of information overload. It’s fine to read books or gather knowledge from human authors. God is talented to share words of encouragement with many writers. However, our main source of intelligence must be from the Word of God. Before you tempt you to scrutinize the web, scroll through the media, or search for books in search of answers to your questions, start by asking for identification primarily when you prioritize respectful wisdom over earthly knowledge.
Let’s pray:
Heavenly Father, we are so grateful to serve God, who knows everything, with all our might, and with all our might. When we want to take on the attribute that we have the authority to hold only you, remember that you are the creator and we are created. Lord, we ask that you recognize us, like Solomon, the gift of wisdom and identification. May we bring you glory and honor and fulfill your purpose in the world by using the gift of knowledge. Lord, it will guide us on our quest to seek answers and help us to determine whether searching for information is ultimately beneficial or harmful to us. When we want to consume more, we pause and ask, “Just because we can, does that mean we should?” Thank you for your grace and mercy. we love you. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
Photo credit: gettyimages/vejaa
Laura Bailey is an author and biblical teacher who encourages women to understand what they believe, why it matters, and how to apply biblical truths to their lives. Her recent book, embracing eternity here and now, explores how the timeless truths of the Church can help us today live a more peaceful, purposeful and abundant life.
She lives in northern South Carolina with her husband and three young girls. She is the director of the Ministry of Women at her church. Her passion is to teach the Bible to women and equip them to live in an eternal perspective. Invite Laura to speak at the next event or learn more: www.laurarabailey.com Connect via Facebook and Instagram.
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