"The great paradox of 'social networking' is that it uses narcissism as the glue for 'community.' Being online means being alone, and being in an online community means being alone together. The community is purely symbolic, a pixellated simulation conjured up by software to feed the modern self's bottomless hunger... As I walk down the street with thin white cords hanging from my ears, as I look at the display of khakis in the window of the Gap, as I sit in a Starbucks sipping a chai served up by a barista, I can't quite bring myself to believe that I'm real. But if I send out to a theoretical audience of my peers 140 characters of text saying that I'm walking down the street, looking in a shop window, drinking tea, suddenly I become real. I have a voice. I exist, if only as a symbol speaking of symbols to other symbols." ~ Nicholas Carr, "Twitter dot dash"
I think I agree with Carr for the most part. Why do we like these sites that allow us to broadcast to everyone on our friends list what we are doing? We can take the most minute parts of our life and broadcast them to the world as a headline. It is kind of narcissistic to let everyone know what we are doing at any moment in time. That becomes even more clear when we get a comment by a peer on said headlines, that means someone read it and thought about us! I confess, I get that feeling if someone comments on my Facebook status.
Is it harmful? I do not think it has to be. I think the social networking sites can be a great avenue for keeping in touch with friends and family and just having fun. Can it be harmful? If we take it too far it can. It can feed our egos because it allows us to make the minute moments a headline. Also, as Carr says above, when we are online we are actually alone. The online "community" might be satisfying for a time, but it is not replacement for real world relationships and if we let it become that it will leave us empty people with exaggerated ideas of our own importance.
You know what is ironic about this blog entry? It is going to show up on my Facebook page as a Facebook Note since they are linked...
By His Grace,
Taylor
Friday, April 24, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Easter Devotions
Today we celebrate Jesus' victory over sin and death, a victory that His Church shares because of our union with Him. We can celebrate what Hosea prophesied, "[Christ] will ransom them from the power of the grave; [Christ] will redeem them from death. Where, O death, are your plagues? Where, O grave, is your destruction?" Hosea 13:14
In The Valley of Vision (a collection of Puritan prayers) there are a few prayers that I would like to share that express well what we celebrate on this day.
Love lustres at Calvary (pg. 76)
My Father,
Enlarge my heart, warm my affections,
open my lips,
supply words that proclaim ‘Love lustres
at Calvary.’
There grace removes my burdens and heaps them
on thy Son,
made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me;
There the sword of Thy justice smote the man,
Thy fellow;
There Thy infinite attributes were magnified,
and infinite atonement was made;
There infinite punishment was due,
and infinite punishment was endured.
Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
cast off that I might be brought in,
trodden down as an enemy
that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell’s worst
that I might attain heaven’s best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I might be healed,
athirst that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.
My Savior wept that all tears might be wiped
from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song,
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorny crown that I might have
a glory-diadem,
bowed His head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive
welcome,
closed His eyes in death that I might gaze
on unclouded brightness,
expired that I might for ever live.
O Father, who spared not Thine only Son that Thou
mightest spare me,
All this transfer Thy love designed and
accomplished;
Help me to adore Thee by lips and life.
O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise,
my every step buoyant with delight, as I see my
enemies crushed,
satan baffled, defeated, destroyed,
sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood,
hell’s gates closed, heaven’s portal open.
Go forth, O conquering God, and show me
the cross, mighty to subdue, comfort and save.
Resurrection (pg. 86)
Great was the joy of Israel's sons,
when Egypt died upon the shore,
Far greater joy
when the Redeemer's foe lay crushed
in the dust.
Jesus strides forth as the Victor,
conqueror of death, hell, and all opposing
might;
He bursts the bands of death,
tramples the powers of darkness down,
and lives for ever.
He, my gracious surety,
apprehended for payment of my debt,
comes forth from the prison house of the grave
free, and triumphant over sin, satan, and death.
Show me herein the proof that His vicarious offering is accepted,
that the claims of justice are satisfied,
that the devil's scepter is shivered,
that his wrongful throne is leveled.
Give me the assurance that in Christ I died,
in Him I rose,
in His life I live, in His victory I triumph,
in His ascension I shall be glorified.
Adorable Redeemer,
Thou who wast lifted up upon a cross
art ascended to the highest heaven.
Thou, who as Man of sorrows
wast crowned with thorns,
art now as Lord of life wreathed with glory.
Once, no shame more deep than Thing,
no agony more bitter,
no death more cruel.
Now, no exaltation more high,
no life more glorious,
no advocate more effective.
Thou art in the triumph car leading the captive
Thine enemies behind Thee.
What more could be done than Thou has done!
Thy death is my life,
Thy resurrection my peace,
Thy ascension my hope,
Thy prayers my comfort.
May these words from saints of old bless your heart on this glorious day. May we all remember that His death is our life and His resurrection our peace.
By His Grace,
Taylor
In The Valley of Vision (a collection of Puritan prayers) there are a few prayers that I would like to share that express well what we celebrate on this day.
Love lustres at Calvary (pg. 76)
My Father,
Enlarge my heart, warm my affections,
open my lips,
supply words that proclaim ‘Love lustres
at Calvary.’
There grace removes my burdens and heaps them
on thy Son,
made a transgressor, a curse, and sin for me;
There the sword of Thy justice smote the man,
Thy fellow;
There Thy infinite attributes were magnified,
and infinite atonement was made;
There infinite punishment was due,
and infinite punishment was endured.
Christ was all anguish that I might be all joy,
cast off that I might be brought in,
trodden down as an enemy
that I might be welcomed as a friend,
surrendered to hell’s worst
that I might attain heaven’s best,
stripped that I might be clothed,
wounded that I might be healed,
athirst that I might drink,
tormented that I might be comforted,
made a shame that I might inherit glory,
entered darkness that I might have eternal light.
My Savior wept that all tears might be wiped
from my eyes,
groaned that I might have endless song,
endured all pain that I might have unfading health,
bore a thorny crown that I might have
a glory-diadem,
bowed His head that I might uplift mine,
experienced reproach that I might receive
welcome,
closed His eyes in death that I might gaze
on unclouded brightness,
expired that I might for ever live.
O Father, who spared not Thine only Son that Thou
mightest spare me,
All this transfer Thy love designed and
accomplished;
Help me to adore Thee by lips and life.
O that my every breath might be ecstatic praise,
my every step buoyant with delight, as I see my
enemies crushed,
satan baffled, defeated, destroyed,
sin buried in the ocean of reconciling blood,
hell’s gates closed, heaven’s portal open.
Go forth, O conquering God, and show me
the cross, mighty to subdue, comfort and save.
Resurrection (pg. 86)
Great was the joy of Israel's sons,
when Egypt died upon the shore,
Far greater joy
when the Redeemer's foe lay crushed
in the dust.
Jesus strides forth as the Victor,
conqueror of death, hell, and all opposing
might;
He bursts the bands of death,
tramples the powers of darkness down,
and lives for ever.
He, my gracious surety,
apprehended for payment of my debt,
comes forth from the prison house of the grave
free, and triumphant over sin, satan, and death.
Show me herein the proof that His vicarious offering is accepted,
that the claims of justice are satisfied,
that the devil's scepter is shivered,
that his wrongful throne is leveled.
Give me the assurance that in Christ I died,
in Him I rose,
in His life I live, in His victory I triumph,
in His ascension I shall be glorified.
Adorable Redeemer,
Thou who wast lifted up upon a cross
art ascended to the highest heaven.
Thou, who as Man of sorrows
wast crowned with thorns,
art now as Lord of life wreathed with glory.
Once, no shame more deep than Thing,
no agony more bitter,
no death more cruel.
Now, no exaltation more high,
no life more glorious,
no advocate more effective.
Thou art in the triumph car leading the captive
Thine enemies behind Thee.
What more could be done than Thou has done!
Thy death is my life,
Thy resurrection my peace,
Thy ascension my hope,
Thy prayers my comfort.
May these words from saints of old bless your heart on this glorious day. May we all remember that His death is our life and His resurrection our peace.
By His Grace,
Taylor
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
The Effects of Love
"When Jesus saw... the disciple whom he loved standing nearby..." ~ John 19:26
The "disciple whom [Jesus] loved" is generally agreed to be the apostle John. He was one of the inner three disciples who enjoyed a special relationship with Jesus. When Jesus saw John in the above verse He was hanging on the cross. I think it is interesting that he was the only disciple who did not flee when Jesus was arrested and he refers to himself as "the disciple whom [Jesus] loved". Did John think that Jesus did not love the other disciples? I doubt it. Did the other disciples not know that Jesus loved them? Probably not. However, it seems that John understood the love of Jesus much more deeply than the rest of the disciples and it affected him greatly. It gave him the courage to stand at the foot of the cross when most others had fled.
It is a good week to think about this love and the powerful effect it has. May we all be compelled by such "perfect love" that "drives out fear" (I John 4:18).
By His Grace,
Taylor
The "disciple whom [Jesus] loved" is generally agreed to be the apostle John. He was one of the inner three disciples who enjoyed a special relationship with Jesus. When Jesus saw John in the above verse He was hanging on the cross. I think it is interesting that he was the only disciple who did not flee when Jesus was arrested and he refers to himself as "the disciple whom [Jesus] loved". Did John think that Jesus did not love the other disciples? I doubt it. Did the other disciples not know that Jesus loved them? Probably not. However, it seems that John understood the love of Jesus much more deeply than the rest of the disciples and it affected him greatly. It gave him the courage to stand at the foot of the cross when most others had fled.
It is a good week to think about this love and the powerful effect it has. May we all be compelled by such "perfect love" that "drives out fear" (I John 4:18).
By His Grace,
Taylor
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