STOP THE WORLD….IT’S CHANGING TOO FAST!
I looked at the picture on the screen in utter amazement. We live in a world filled with such technological advancements that it makes the heads of those just a generation or two behind us spin. Even those of us somewhat up on technology get frustrated when we can’t make our new gadgets work the way we want them too! The fact is, no one can possible keep up with the fast-changing world of scientific discovery, or the commercial development of those newly found technologies. A process developed for one purpose can quickly be adapted for a host of other uses in a wide variety of fields. The things thought impossible just a few years earlier are now commonplace, often times creating as much stress in our lives as it does convenience.
On the particular day I mentioned above I was staring at a computer screen watching an ultrasound image of my new “grandson” being formed in my daughter’s womb. That was 6 years ago now! Though only slightly bigger than an avocado, there he was — 10 little toes, sucking his thumb, heart beating strong, and being anything but “modest”, moving frequently to make sure we all knew he was alive and kicking! As the technicians took the various measurements, she pronounced that despite some of the risks of my daughter’s pregnancy, little Lukas was growing right on schedule.
The fact that a little scope can see inside our bodies is both remarkable and a bit disturbing. When my own kids were born we got the predecessors to the modern day ultrasounds, but it was honestly hard to tell that those little “blobs” on film were really one day going to be our children. And while they thought they could tell what the babies were going to be (boy or girl), we really didn’t want to know (and they got one wrong anyway!!). Now you can even get a 3-D color photograph of your baby in utero. Next thing you know babies will be coming out in diapers and already dressed in pink or blue.
I was talking with some friends recently about how technology has changed just in the last 30-40 years. When I was in the Air Force I worked on the second most powerful computer in the world, second only to the mainframe that was in the Pentagon at the time. It was the size of a small house, featured banks and banks of tape reel drives and flashing lights, and had to be kept at a crisp 55-60 degrees at all times. Now my Cel phone can process as much or more information….and you don’t have to wear a sweater to use it! Amazing!
However, I can’t think of anything that can frustrate me more than not being about to figure out how to use the latest, greatest gadget I’ve purchased. All these things that are supposed to make my life easier often make it more complicated. And, once I’ve figured out how to use them and grown dependent on the convenience they provide, they tend to break and put me in a tizzy all over again.
We’ve gone from silent films to IPODs, woodstoves to microwaves, and horse & buggies to personal space craft. The knowledge base continues to multiply at staggering rates. It feels at times like we’re being overwhelmed by the ever changing world of technology around us. We’ve reluctantly come to realization that no one can truly keep up with all that is happening! Well, that is, except one person you probably know……GOD!
Sometimes I think we’ve become overly enamored with our own accomplishments. Mankind truly has achieved a great deal and will continue to do so. But let’s face the facts — our best efforts pale in comparison to what God has already done. While technology can give us sharper images on our TV screens, God created the views we’re trying to project. Though we’ve developed powerful weapons that stagger the imagination with their power, a close-up look at a hurricane, tornado, tsunami, or earthquake will put our meager efforts in perspective. While we’ve created some amazing things using the resources at our disposal, God made the resources we are using out of scratch…..FROM NOTHING! If that doesn’t make you stop and think, perhaps you should go take a long walk and look around at the world God created.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to technology in the least. As a matter of fact, I’m a bit of a “geek” myself. I like smaller phones, faster computers, better MPG’s in my car, internet research capabilities, and ZOOM video conferencing! But all the technology in the world doesn’t compare to a personal relationship with the one who truly can be called “The Creator”. I’d rather know that I “know Him” and am “KNOWN” by Him than all the techno-wizardly trinkets money can buy.
I do marvel at what we, as humans, have been able to do…..but really, it just doesn’t compare to what God has already done and continues to do all around us. Count me as one of those who is thoroughly impressed with His workmanship…….including the way He put together my new little grandson inside his mother’s womb.
If you truly want to see something impressive, take a look at one of those new ultrasounds and tell me you aren’t totally amazed at this miracle we call life! Watching a baby develop is truly a technological marvel…..and I don’t mean the machine that is taking the pictures!!
From One “Geek” to Another,
Larry
Heartstorm 