I’m in a love/hate relationship. To break free is no option. I’m too dependent. I have my high moments but then, suddenly it comes crashing down. Sometimes I wonder, who is the slave and who is the master? It draws me to itself and I see it flicker. Was that a smile? I grimace.
The computer with its WWW (or whatever) is supposed to be at my beck and call. Why then do I sometimes feel as though I am its toy? Things don’t always go smoothly when I google, email, search, post or browse. It is so frustrating. Frustration’s tears whelm up when the most simple of procedure turns into a nightmare. I’m tortured! Blood pressure rises and fingers twitch. Suddenly, the machine co-operates. Then a weather storm or a power failure hits. O joy! O rapture! Why do I have a passion to write?
That’s the hate side of the relationship.
Now for the Love side.
As I write and save there is a real sense of freedom. I can ‘cut and paste’ or add and maybe delete without a whole rewrite of a page. When the article is complete I can schedule it (hopefully, correctly). After all that I can ‘gate crash’ friend and stranger’s Face Book announcing, “It’s done!”
However, what I really love about my computer and its WWW is how it affords me a global arena. I know I’m but a grain of sand in the beach of WWW users. But, I stand amazed and humbled by the statistics from so many different countries indicating someone has looked at some aspect of my blog. I’ve gasped at the fact that something I wrote a few years ago comes up in the records as being viewed.
Cyber-space is filled with and littered by so much material. It will range from the putrid and pathetic to the glorious and God honouring. This is why I love my computer. (Or one of the reasons). I can penetrate Cyber-space to the best of my ability and give it some G and G (God and glory). This is the arena open to us as Christians who write in whatever genre and set it free over the Web. I realise we are but grains of sands but by God’s grace and power, we become a handful. Who knows what God will do with a grain of sand and He drops its contents into the heart and mind of a ‘surfer of the Net? Only God knows the result.
The fact that He might choose some words of mine is a strong motivation to write. So maybe you can understand why this grey-haired old fellow keeps writing, even when his computer is being rebellious. I have one major regret. When I secured my computer I had done some intensive training on how to handle ‘the beast’ more skilfully. Out in Cyber-space is a mission field. It is in desperate need for God’s grace and Gospel. As Christian writers let us go and penetrate it for Christ’s glory and the blessing of any who read our posts. I’m but a grain of sand but I’m motivated to spread it in Cyber-space. My unsung and unconscious theme could well be ‘Watch out world God has this grain of sand in His hand to drop into your life.’ The Lord bless all you fellow ‘grains of sand!’
