Unplug the Umbilical Cord

I think that the Internet world (yes, it is a world of its own), has become very big in my eyes.  Anything that becomes that big competes with God for affection. Constantly checking email, facebook and blogs for something that I don't seem to be getting in the real world.  What is it?  Do I find more excitement in the world that I have created for myself than reality?  Reality is what God has put around me.  The relationships, people, vocations and clients that God has inserted me into all are apart of that reality.  In the virtual world, these seem to be at my own beck and call and I can escape from them or I can look up some old flame and fanticize about how wonderful it would be to see them again.

Those who are connected to this umbilical cord are living their lives in it and don't realize that it is actually a chain that keeps us bound to fantasy and pleasure.  It is a prison of our own design.  Why is this so wrong?  Because of the example of Jesus of course!  What do I mean?  I mean we should apply the gospel to this situation.

Take Jesus for example, although he existed in the form of God, he didn't retain that glory in selfishness and stay up in the perfect environment.  He came down to a place where he would be despised and rejected, stricken and smitten of God.  He bade us to follow him and take up our cross.  Why?  Because that is where he was going.

Jesus lived a life free from all the fantasy and sinful self-indulgence that we bask in. But if that were all He did, it would be only enough to save himself.  Instead, he accepted the will of God that he would take that perfect life and have all our self-indulgence and fantasy that deserved God's wrath laid upon him.  It was he who was being punished for what we did wrong.  There he suffered for what we are doing evil, even today in our disregard of the people around us for our own pleasure that we seek on the Internet. The good news however is that God accepted that payment, that wrath having been spent on his Son. God is the one who spent his wrath on an innocent person for your an my sin.  That is what it took for your pardon to be won.

God raised Jesus from the dead showing that it is possible to live a new life free from that bondage to selfishness and Internet fantasy.  This means that Jesus' sacrifice was accepted!  There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ!  Now go on and start living in that new life!  Sever that umbilical cord that is keeping you bound up in your selfishness and desire.  Follow Christ to the cross and be obedient to Him in loving others, abstaining from sexual sin and all other sins rooted in pride and selfishness and see the needs of the people around you!