I vividly recall in the 60’s sitting around the kitchen table while my older brother, Dave, an AT&T engineer, preached of a coming communication revival. He spoke of a new telephone technology. He went on to devote his entire career assisting in the development of a futuristic devise he referred to as a “personal telephone.” He assured us that one day, very soon, we would each have our own personal phone and just like Dick Tracy, we would be able to see with whom we were speaking… and they’d see us!
Why would anyone need a personal phone? Our family phone—the classic black desk model with a rotary dial and curly cord—was there for messages and emergencies. I couldn’t call Marilyn because she lived all the way over in Perry County and that was long distance! Besides, our family phone was on a party line, which meant the neighbors could listen to your conversation by simply lifting their receiver. Telephones were tied to one spot by the phone line; how would they ever overcome all these limitations? It was impossible!
Dave described a hand held device—all its components in one case; no longer a receiver and separate hand set. With a gleam in his eye, he would describe how its TV screen, speaker, antenna, and battery would all somehow be crammed into one completely mobile unit. Try as I may, I couldn’t picture such a thing. It would have to weigh twenty pounds or more! I envisioned a large strap flung over the user’s shoulder to support such a cumbersome devise, and reasoned, “They might be able to make something like that one day, but who would want to lug it around just to make a phone call? It’ll never catch on. Besides, there’s a phone booth on every corner, just drop a dime!”
Perhaps you’re smiling, realizing how difficult it is to see into the future. I was struggling to imagine what a cell phone would look like because, actually, I had my back to the future. I was trying to imagine a future devise based on existing devises. I was looking back to see what might lie ahead.
We do the same spiritually. The Bible speaks of incredible things available to the believer now, as well as incredible things to come. And if we’re not careful we might try to picture these things with our backs to the future. We can’t imagine ourselves living holy lives while using looking at our old self and our old ways. Antiquated features like worry, selfishness and pride just don’t compute when we read in the Bible that we are to be people who “don’t worry about anything but instead pray about everything.” We think, “That sounds great but I’m just not wired that way, I can’t do that.” But the Bible tells us His power works through us in ways that perhaps we’ve never considered until now! We live into the future by the power of His Spirit alive in us!
“In ourselves we are not able to claim anything for ourselves. The power to do what we do comes from God.” 2 Corinthians 3:5
Read Ron’s column, Simple Faith, each Saturday on the Faith Page (page 3) of the Lancaster Eagle Gazette, or visit www.lancastereaglegazette.com.