No doubt, when you first saw the title of this post, you thought of our God, multitasking. And that is correct. God is the original multitasker, so much so that it is one of His names, Omnipotent. How else could He have created the heavens (observe it is plural) and the earth in six days? But we are not referring to the omnipotence of God here. Instead, I am writing down my New Year’s resolution: I shall not engage in multitasking God.
There, I said it, and people can hold me accountable. Of course, Jesus may call us home with the Rapture while I am doing my best to avoid multitasking God. I have a friend who is not guilty of this sin, and her knowledge of God is vast. She would not need this resolution, not only in the New Year, but ever. Not me. My mind is all over the place when I come to God.
I must not forget my next appointment, for which I need to prepare, even as I try to study the Bible. I always have something going on, and it has only gotten worse with age. Scientists claim that if you keep your mind busy, you keep dementia at bay. Consequently, I have become the queen of multitasking. But, as God is my helper, when it is time to study the Bible, I shall not engage in multitasking God.
With all this talk of distraction, your mind is likely on Martha, the sister of Lazarus and Mary. She was distraction personified, but she was not guilty of multitasking God. Her particular sin, for which Jesus scolded her, was non-tasking (aka, neglecting) God. If that represents you, do not wait until God scolds you.
You Shall Find Me
Before reading this, the only time you opened your Bible was when the preacher made a scripture reference. Consider repenting because the Bible is God’s love letter to us. How can you fall in love over and over again if you do not read your lover’s letter? Little wonder then that God’s promises are out of reach for most of us. He loves us, but we do not love Him back. Your resolution is not about multitasking God, as God is your helper.
Now, you can safely assume that the reason I have such an unusual New Year’s resolution is my desire to find God. You are right, of course, because God says the same thing. In Jeremiah 29:13, we read that you cannot engage in multitasking God and still discover Him. Here is the actual quote: “And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.”
There are two takeaways in that verse. First, the idea of not multitasking God is based on the premise that you are willing to seek God. If God is not your goal, this might not interest you. But, because God will be our landlord in the future, I like to believe we are all seeking God. If that is the case, you do well to keep reading.
Multitasking God Prevents Diligent Search
The second takeaway is that the only way to find God is to seek Him with all my heart. Ouch! You cannot see God if you read your Bible with 10 % of your mind on the washing machine. Most certainly, you will not find God if you have something on the stove while studying your Bible. That is because more than 10% of your heart will focus on preventing it from burning. And that would be multitasking God to the nth degree; God says you cannot find Him.
Even before multitasking started to fall into disrepute, God knew the danger. The likelihood that you will not perform any of the tasks perfectly is high. Consequently, He warned us against trying to lump Him into our group of activities. He is God, and it is the glory of God to conceal a thing. What that means is that you require a diligent search to find God. It is like mining for precious stones; you do not discover them lying around on the surface of the earth.
The Apostle Paul understood that and reiterated what God said. In Hebrews 11:6, that disciple who knew God even better than the followers who walked with Jesus wrote: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Do you want some of God’s promises to be your inheritance? Study that one sentence and stop multitasking God.
Not Multitasking God For Others
Paul says if you desire to come to God to obtain His promises, you must be diligent in your search for Him. Gold and silver miners leave home and family, go underground, for weeks at a time to locate (perishable) gold. How much more God? The psalmist answers that question in Psalm 119:72. He says, “The law of Your mouth is better to me than thousands of coins of gold and silver.”
However, multitasking God does not end with reading the word of God with a distracted mind. Preachers and teachers of the Word will identify with this next problem. Like the gold miners, you declare a retreat, way from all distractions; you do not allow the television, even. You take only your bible with you, intent on not multitasking God.
And you do study the Bible (is it the only available book anyway). Ten hours into your retreat, you observe that you are somehow multitasking God. Het=re is how that happens. Every word you read, every point God makes, you file away for your next sermon. You are not eating the word for yourself. You are eating for others, multitasking God even on a prayer and study retreat.
God will help us.
Marantha!
