Back in my days of student ministry I remember reading a blog post from a fellow youth pastor in which he made this confession: “I can’t stop. I’m an app junkie!” I didn’t have a smartphone at the time and I thought, “Why? What’s the allure of loading up your phone with apps?”
I was looking at my iPhone last week and I thought of that particular blog post several years ago. I was swiping through my home screens noticing just how many apps I have installed and I suddenly realized, “Oh no… I’ve become that guy!”
I realize that I’m not the exception to the malady of app infatuation. In fact, I’m probably in the average category regarding the number of apps I’ve installed. The real question is though, “How many of those apps do I actively use?” Being that ‘Input’ is one of my strengths I’m certainly prone to collecting vast amounts of information. Apps are information, right?
All kidding aside, I do periodically go through and delete apps I just don’t use anymore (Angry Birds anyone?). But every now and then an app comes along and I find myself not only marveling in its ingenuity, but I also find myself using it on a daily basis.
I was reading through a Christian tech site last week and one of the developers of the app goTandem mentioned this:
And after more than 7 years of research, we’ve learned that it (the Bible) has the biggest impact on our lives – in overcoming temptation, building healthier relationships, and having hope in uncertainty – when we begin considering bits of Scripture throughout the day, at least four days a week. More is better. Less is significantly worse.
My pastor recently said that he overheard another pastor say that “it takes him about three days to lose the fear of God.” The point being that we need to be in God’s word. Probably more often than we are.
I’ve been a long-time fan of YouVersion. I’ve installed it on every smart phone I’ve owned and it really does help me stay connected to God’s word. When I ran across goTandem I thought, “Why do I want this?” Well, here’s why.
goTandem is unique in that it sends a verse, up to four times a day, with a short question that helps me engage with the text. This verse and question just popped up as I’m writing this post:
Attention! Let all the people of the world listen! Let the earth and everything in it hear. Micah 1:2
Do you try to listen to God? How?
It’s admittedly short, but it’s also thought-provoking. How do I listen to God? Do I take the time to carve out space and actually listen? Or, am I simply punching my spiritual time-card without shifting my focus to be still and know that He is God?
I’ve used the app for a few days now and it’s been remarkable how these short bursts of Scripture and questions cause me to focus on His Word and how it applies to me in that moment.
By the way, I don’t work for goTandem and I’m not being compensated for writing this post. I’ve simply found it helpful in my own devotional walk. Perhaps you will as well. goTandem is available on the App Store and via Google Play.
Til next time,
DP