Passing time, or redeeming the time? - The descendants of Cain

“The world is passing, and its lust, but he that does the will of God abides for eternity.” (1 John 2:17)

After the Fall, the descendants of Cain tried to make their lives as pleasant as possible through possessions, music and inventions of all kinds in order to be happy without God (see Gen 4). This very attitude is what still characterizes the world today.

How many things people have invented in the last 6000 years that distract them from focusing on what is linked with eternity! Just think of the explosive development of technology and means of communication in the last decades. These things are not evil in themselves and can certainly be used for good things, but now they take up much more space in the lives of most of us than we would like. Whereas 20 years ago people were perfectly fine without a mobile phone, today many people look at their smartphone on average about a hundred times a day, and they carry it around with them almost everywhere. How much time is lost, which is actually entrusted to us, so that we can really spend it with those things which have value for eternity!

The Lord Jesus has often purposely visited deserted or lonely places in order to be alone (see Luke 4:42) and to seek the will of God in prayer (see Mark 1:35). In the desert and on the mountain He was alone with His Father and found rest - before and after His ministry (see Luke 5:16; Matt 14:23). Although He served tirelessly and did only good deeds, He was never stressed. He did not live under the tyranny of time!

The Lord told His disciples to close the door behind them to talk to God alone in their chamber. While on the one hand, speaking in the image of Daniel, we have to open the windows of our hearts to the things of God, at the same time we have to consciously close the door of our heart to everything that keeps us from prayer.

Questions

A deserted place is a lonely place where there is nothing interesting to distract you. No smartphone, no tablet, no laptop. Where are your "barren places" where you regularly retreat to calm down and talk to God undisturbed? Have you ever thought about the influence your smartphone has on you? Are you willing to correct yourself regarding the use of social media if you find that frequent use of these things has a negative impact on your spiritual life and distracts you from what has eternal value?

J.P.S.