God or Google?

This picture was not taken by me. It comes from an ireporter to CNN and is originally posted on CNN's living page.
See http://www.cnn.com/LIVING/

"AMEN!" I said while rummaging through recent culture news online. I came across this picture from CNN's website. It is NOT a picture I took myself. I had to post this because it speaks to how technology plays a part in our daily lives. Think about it. Have a problem. Google it. Searching for a product at a cheaper price? Google it. A problem in your marriage? Google it. Looking for a fabulous vacation at an affordable price? Google it. Need a craft to amuse your child? Google it. Have an ailment that you need to diagnose? Google it. Have a crying baby and don't know what to do? Google it.

It's there. It's all there. And if it's not there, it probably will be there soon.

My introduction to google a few years ago went like this: While talking to a friend (who lives in the fast paced New York City) she said, "Ashley, just google it. You do know what google is right?" I had no idea what she was talking about at the time. So I went home and googled. Where had I been? It was the greatest thing that could happen right? All these answers at my fingertips. Why hadn't I known about it?

But......here's really the one thing I have learned about google: it may be able to guide me to recipes but it won't put dinner on the table. (Oh, how I wish it would!)

Type in, "how to..." and the list keeps coming:
How to:

• tie a tie
• live on less
• grill corn
• kiss
• eat healthy
• love yourself
• love someone
• love God
• to say I'm sorry
• to say I love you

Google reminds me of the idea of a genie saying snap and it's done. On the flip side, it reminds me people are looking for answers. All kinds of answers about health and home, food and family. Answers about God too.

Like it or not we are creatures of habit. The daily practice of finding answers on google can form a routine habit of googling without even thinking about it. Just ask anybody about something these days and you'll probably hear them say, "Just google it." Please hear me, I am not against google. But I do think that the act of going to google for a quick fix can lead us to become familiar with the instantaneous. The danger I fear for believers is that we can become hooked on finding an answer so fast that it becomes our first instinct in times of trouble. God speaks truth through His word and His answers are not always instantaneous. The bible tells us wait on God.

Psalm 27:14 (English Standard Version)"Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD."

Psalm 38:15 (English Standard Version)^"But for you, O LORD, do I wait; it is you, O Lord my God, who will answer."
Psalm 130:5 (English Standard Version)"I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in his word I hope;"

The Message (MSG)

     God, the one and only—

      I'll wait as long as he says.

   Everything I hope for comes from him,

      so why not?

   He's solid rock under my feet,

      breathing room for my soul,

   An impregnable castle:

      I'm set for life.


Ok. So I shared my thoughts about google.
What do you google?