Do you have a virus?

I want to start this blog by saying I love my MacBook Pro!  It took me a long time to finally convert from a PC but now that I have – I can’t believe I waited so long.  It was mainly a price thing – but given the LACK of problems I have experienced since becoming a Mac owner, the price is well….priceless.

Unfortunately, however, I still own a home computer that for 3 weeks now has been functioning more like a door stop than an actual computer.  This has been cause for some consternation in my family.  Mainly because it seems there are individuals in this world whose entire goal in life is to play havoc with all things Windows….which only serves to interrupt our social media needs.

Now I know just enough about computers to be dangerous and to be able to completely render an entire library of files as useless.  So I enlisted the help of an Information Technology individual who has been helping me clean, as he puts it, “An extremely infected computer.”

It truly has been frustrating – my family would like to get back to email, Facebook, and the all important Playhouse Disney – but we can’t (at least not yet).

What we can do though, is draw an incredible spiritual parallel from this unfortunate incident.  Please indulge me…

As I was sitting there (for the umpteenth time) watching the virus scan look at each and every file on my computer I couldn’t help but think about my heart and how Jesus knows each and every file in my heart.  As the program was “cleaning” the computer I also thought about how Jesus “cleans” us!

Too often we live our lives thinking we are immune to what is going on in the world around us.  We think we are safe and then we become “infected” bit by bit.  Then all of a sudden what we’ve let in grows and digs deeper, and soon thereafter our heart no longer reflects Jesus in a manner He would deem worthy.

But – unlike my computer – it is easy to turn that back around – it is easy to switch our focus. And let me tell you Jesus is the best I.T. guy around!  It takes Him no time at all to search out everything and get rid of the bad stuff.  That is if we let Him search and destroy.

We need to want to change…we need to want to get rid of what He discovers…we need to let Him do what He does best….

This whole computer thing has caused consternation – but it has also brought a smile to my face.  It has allowed me to reflect.  I have been able to sit and think and read and talk to Jesus.  I have found time to see if any viruses have crept into my life!

Have you ran a virus scan on your heart lately?  I would recommend running one daily – to make sure you have real time protection!

Until next time…

Pastor Barry