There is no doubt that we live in an age of instant communication. I attended a conference recently, and it was very noticeable that at break-times many delegates were quickly on their mobiles, trying to catch up with the latest news! I sometimes wonder what would happen if we had a mobile-free day – would the world grind to a halt? I can think back to the days when the the early mobiles appeared – they were the size of a house brick, and almost as heavy. Only rich and important people had one then. Nowadays, it seems, just about everyone has a mobile, including school children. Even when mobiles became more readily available, I resisted the temptation to own one for several years. I eventually capitulated, though even now I don't use my mobile all that often.
I agree that the fantastic advancements in communications has, in many ways, been a tremendous blessing. Last week I was able to see and talk with my brother and his wife (who live in New Zealand) using my laptop and the blessings of Skype. It was an amazing experience, and I still can't work out why it doesn't cost anything!
The drawback with instant communication, of course, is that it can be really difficult to find some quiet time, time alone. We can easily get so caught up in a hectic, busy, noisy lifestyle, that we struggle to get any real quality time to think, reflect or pray. We read in the gospels that Jesus often went by himself to lonely places to pray. He didn't then have the mass communications that we experience, but he was always in great demand. He knew how important it was to “get away from it all”.
I love getting up early in the morning when all is still relatively quiet. It's a great time of the day to pray, reflect, and prepare for what's ahead. That wouldn't suit everyone, but it's certainly a pattern that helps me. I try not to get sucked into the pattern of over busyness – it never did anyone any good!
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