A Towsand Apple-Ogies...

Something I heard in a movie - can't remember the title or the character - a while ago. Translation: a thousand apologies, with specific reference to the lack of activity on this blog. British Telecom continues to shirk their responsibilities in the installation of our telephone and broadband connections.

In the meantime consider the heart-based ramifications of the inconvenience caused by the above. In our lives, Cheri and I have expected to encounter many trials, namely lack of finances, job loss, wakeful nights punctuated by a toddler's screams followed by the bellows of our upstairs neighbour - just for starters. But never did we anticipate the tribulations and suffering of lacking basic phone and internet capabilities in the home. Our initial incredulous response was 'isn't this (the United Kingdom) a technologically advanced northern hemisphere western nation?' Which translates into a demand as follows: 'we have the ABSOLUTE AND UNALIENABLE RIGHT' (did you like my rip-off of the Declaration of Independence?) 'to have the facilities of telecommunication at our beck and call.' I trust I don't have to go into why those aren't unalienable rights...

But more to the point, our reactions betray the self-centeredness (dare I say wickedness, a la Jonathan Edwards? I do!) of the human heart. It is not wrong to sense inconvenience, but the true test of a heart is in its reaction to that inconvenience. Instead of letting a bitter root grow in our hearts toward BT, should we not pity their poor customer service? But seriously, how trivial to be so bent out of shape over this? Consider John Piper's explanation of taking things for granted: "...what there is in the world - things that, if we didn't have, we would pay a million dollars to have, but having them, ignore" (from Don't Waste Your Life). He wasn't referring directly to telecommunication tools, but the parallel is clear.

This gives rise to all the things that we do have, i.e. our Bibles, tasty food, even our spouses, our children, our friends and family, that we take for granted - which if we didn't have, we would pay a million dollars to have, but having them, ignore. Or just use them or consume them without thinking or without giving thanks to God for them.

The practical application in my life is this: when I get home from work I want to take joy in seeing Cheri and Kenny, to savour the food that Cheri serves for dinner, to participate energetically in Kenny's bedtime routine, to wake early and remember the finished work of Christ at the break of my day. Easier said than done, but the grace of God is sufficient.

Resolved then, to forgive BT for poor customer service; to confess my heart is grieved by not being the first on their installation list; to look to God in Christ for my soul's satisfaction. And God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him (Piper again).