In New Testament times, agriculture was the model for close relationships — for connectedness, as pictured by the Lord in the vine and the branches (John 15). In Isaac Newton’s time, mechanics was the model, and it worked well through the Industrial Revolution. Last century, technology became the model, and now it’s digital and AI.
So, maybe we should think of our relationship with God as a kind of spiritual, unlimited, and eternal broadband, through which we upload prayers and praises and download revelation knowledge. Nowadays, to not be connected is almost unthinkable. The living Lord Jesus has connected us to God forever in a relationship that cannot be broken.
I met the late Christian author Jamie Buckingham, who wrote Kathryn Kuhlman’s biology, “Daughter of Destiny”. (Jamie was visiting Australia and had just read my book on the life of Tom Varney, “From Gutter to Glory”. He encouraged me to keep on writing.)
Jamie wrote of installing a new water system in his garden, and of turning it on only to see the old system ‘explode’ because it was unable to handle the increased pressure. He likened it to the difference that comes when a believer is baptized in the Holy Spirit. Jesus, who of course was much closer to the nature of things than we are, said much the same about old and new wineskins.
Many of us could do with an upgrade in our prayer, praise and worship connection to the amazing and unlimited ‘broadband connection’ made available to us through His Son by the Holy Spirit. (Remember the days when we had to dial up and listen to blips while waiting to be connected?)
Those days are long gone. But the ancient equivalent was the ‘dial up’ kind of prayer connection to God known by the disciples. It was no longer needed after the descent of the Spirit of God on the Day of Pentecost, when the blessed disciples became supercharged apostles.
Advertisements promise us “Unlimited Broadband!” But all who believe in the Lord Jesus are through him connected to God forever. So, what next when our mortal bodies become immortal? I’ve no idea, but I would not miss it for the world!