A few months ago, my iPad started giving me daily updates about my screen time. It even remarked when I spent less or more time on my device. I wasn’t sure how I appreciated that feature. Just like everyone else, I am concerned about how technology impacts my life.

So, it made me smile a bit when I read John Ortberg’s book, “Who is this Man?” Ortberg makes a point that technology to a large extent grew out of the “Jesus-oriented communities in the Middle Ages.”

He refers to a Stanford professor (Lynn White) who asserted that “The humanitarian technology that our modern world has inherited from the Middle Ages was not rooted in economic necessity; for this necessity is inherent in every society…the labor-saving powered-machines of the later Middle Ages were produced by the implicit theological assumption of the infinite worth of even the most degraded human personality.”

The book goes on to show that the technology for lots of inventions were developed and used by the Christian monks. Some examples include the invention of a windmill to aid with grinding grain (the Abbot of Tours in the 6^th century invented it so his monks could have more time to pray). Mechanical clocks were also invented by monks so they would know when to stop and pray.

So, this week, I am not berating myself over the use of technology. Instead I am trying to capture some of that “extra time” for a productive spiritual pursuit like Bible reading. I am fine tuning my settings on my YouVersion app for my daily input of targeted scripture verses.

 I am using my Echo app to help organize and keep track of my prayer life. And I am consolidating my online files for capturing great devotionals from all the Christian ministries I follow.

Bottom line, technology is definitely not all bad. We just need to harness it for good.  

The Psalmist told us, “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you” (Ps. 119:11). How we get it into our heart isn’t the issue. If technology helps with that Godly pursuit, great!

So, how can technology assist your walk with Christ this week? Make it happen!