Trading Facebook for the God book

"The only way to dispossess the heart of an old affection is by the expulsive power of a new one."

-Thomas Chalmers, Scottish Presbyterian minister

This Thomas Chalmers quote from a great sermon became the summation of my current state of idolatry.  I spend my days wasting time and energy on things that cease to matter in this life and the next.  I sometimes reach the end of my days and crawl into bed with nothing substantial to account for that day.  I think about casting out my current affections for the useless: email, Hulu, Facebook, and so on.  But that is where it ends. . .in thinking.  I never take action.

The main distracting affection is Facebook.  The Lord made us to be relational beings.  Genesis 1:27 says,  "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them."   He made us to reflect His character, who He is.  He made us so that we can commune with Him and with others.  I think Facebook is genius for that reason.  It connects us with others within seconds and with such ease that we effortlessly become sucked into this fake community.  Now let me clarify that statement.  I have a handful of "friends" on Facebook that are real relationships that I have real community with.  My sister signed me up for Facebook shortly after it's viral arrival (when it was debatable if just out of college qualified as Facebook worthy). I do love sharing pictures, stories, and comments with her, the rest of my family, and my sweet close friends.  And that leaves about 750 other "friends" out there.  How do you explain that?  My thoughts include, "Oh, I was the chaplin of my very large youth group. . .My high school was one of the biggest graduting classes in America. . . I was a youth group intern at a large Bible church. . .I participated in a large Christian sorority in college" and gained 750 friends doing so!?!? What? 

I can spend whole hours maybe days "connecting" with these 750 "friends" of mine in the comfort of my own home while making meals for my family, folding laundry, and molding the young mind of my two year old.  And I have real, meaningful converstions with these people (please note sarcasm in this statement).  I have a couple issues with my own obsession.  Do you ever find someone who you really feel connected with on your own page?  Someone who is always leaving you messages or telling you how precious your child is in all your pictures?  Someone who then won't talk to you when you see them at your ten year reunion, or the grocery store, or (gasp) church?  Some real community there, huh?  I am quite cognisant of not being the most popular person but I am positive this happens to more than unpopular me.  The other issue I have with this fixation: I spend more time with Facebook than with the Lord and I sometimes spend more time with Facebook than my immediate family. 

I have attempted to limit my usage to a morning check, naptime play, and evening check.  I can spend my child's naptime using Facebook.  This works for a while and then I fall back into addiction.  I have even posted Proverbs 31:27 by the computer, "She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness."  That proved convicting until I ripped it up and threw it in the trash!  I, however, have become bored with Facebook and how it makes me feel.  I have been yearning for real relationship with God and with friends and family. 

And this is where Thomas Chalmers comes in.  I realized I need to replace one affection with a newer greater one.  I can't just stop being drawn to one affection. . .it needs to be kicked out and replaced with something better.  My greater affection will be a different kind of book.  My God book.  The Bible.  And this, my friends, is where I shall record my ponderings on that new affection!