The Incredible Computer
(Investigator 117, 2007 November)
One day I discovered an incredible message on our computer. The keys and icons seemed to have something special to say. This is what I noticed:
'ENTER'
What a marvellous key. Identify what you need and then press enter – and presto! – it's there. This is the key that calls it into being. It speaks to me of omnipotence.
Do you think about the mystery of the universe – how it got there? Where did all the wonders of our spectacular planet emanate from? We hear about the 'Big Bang' – now the 'Big Bounce' and other things.
I believe the universe was brought into being by the omnipotent fiat of Almighty God. It's like God pressed 'Enter' and there it was – the universe in all its splendour.
Maybe it was a big bang – but, a God directed bang. How otherwise could we account for the precision of planets, the make up of metals, and the complexities of life?
The Bible speaks of omnipotence, e.g. Heb 11:3: 'By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.'
'DELETE'
– a very helpful key. Simply highlight what is undesirable and press 'delete' and, in a blink, it's gone.
Erasure is swift and simple on the computer. The Bible, too, speaks of erasure that is even more spectacular. We goof up a lot and tarnish our character. Personal foul ups take the joy out of living. Its one thing to delete the unwanted from a computer document but how do we erase bad things from our lives?
There's an incredible verse in the book of Psalms. It says: '…as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.' Ps 103:12
How far is East from West? It's a mighty long way!!
It's through Jesus that God provides erasure for our wrongs. Jesus did no wrong. A bad thought never entered his mind. His nature and character were perfect.
If you struggle with guilt and failure ask the Lord to forgive you and provide a new page for your life.
'SAVE'
Once I typed for hours and in a split second lost everything. I hadn't pressed 'Save.' Now I activate it every few seconds.
'Save' is the great theme of the Bible. Jesus said that his mission to men was to 'seek and save that which was lost.'
The Bible says, 'That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.' Rom 10:9
How can we be 'saved'? Simply by repenting of our sin and believing in our heart that Jesus is Lord and that God raised him from the dead.
On the computer screen I move the curser to a tiny icon and click on it. It activates 'save.' Similarly we direct the curser of faith to the cross of Jesus where he died to be our saviour and in an instant God saves us to his hard drive.
Like the computer God's salvation is instant and permanent.
No matter what kind of a person we have been, or are right now, God wants to save us. You can activate 'SAVE' in your life by accepting Jesus and be saved for all eternity.
'WORKS'
This word appears a lot on my screen. It's a word that appears in the Bible a lot. Christians are urged to do good works – selflessly giving to and helping others and serving God. The Bible however, warns about the mindset that thinks that merely by doing good we can earn favour with God. We can't as Ephesians 2:8-9 reminds us.
Good works should follow on from being saved – not being seen as a pre-requisite for salvation.
ESCAPE
– a vital key! Sometimes you get locked in and you can't get out. That's the reason for the 'escape' key.
There's a verse in the Bible that says, 'How shall we escape?' We get locked into life situations from which we'd do anything to escape from.
When working in the desert in Jordan a number of folk asked me to see what they could do to escape to Australia. We've seen what desperation the 'boat people' will endure to escape to our great south land.
Many want to escape from bad relationships, others from debilitating drug habits, some from a life of crime and jail, many from oppressions, etc.
The Bible says, '…how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation?' Heb 2:3.
I have one of those amazing little creatures called a ferret. He chases rabbits out of their holes. You hear rumbles underground and watch expectantly at the nets.
Bunnies, however, are smart. Sometimes they run out a concealed hole covered by leaves. Pursued by the predator they look for the tiny shafts of light that alert them to the place of escape and out they dash to freedom.
In our darkest corridors we must look for that light shaft and escape to God's freedom in Jesus. This is true escape. Jesus said, 'I am the light of the world, those who follow me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the light of life.'
John Hutchinson