I bought my daughter another electronic device and she was having trouble connecting it to our home wireless network. After troubleshooting as best we could, we finally broke down and called the manufacturer for assistance. After reviewing the issue with them, and redoing all the steps we had already done to prove to them it would not work, the man suggested that I reset my modem. He did tell me that once I did that, it would reset back to its default factory settings, and I would probably have to reconfigure it, but it should make the new device compatible with all the others we already use without issue.
Reluctantly I located the reset button, and pressed and held as instructed. Long story short, it did reset to its factory settings and after doing a step by step reconfiguration, it did solve the problem and once again all is well with the wireless networking. All I had to do was hit the reset button. Now I know how to reset and reconfigure if the problem returns. By the way, I had to use a different password and update all my other devices with the new password. This is part of the process of a reset.
When we lose our connection with God, whether all together or just in an area or two, and we have come to the end of our trouble shooting, we need to put in a call to the manufacturer and get instructions on how to reset. We then need to make the intentional effort to press and hold…get in and stay in His presence until we are reset to the default factory settings. Then prepare for a reconfiguration and a new password.
You see, the factory settings are basic and universal. They are original, absolute, clear cut definitions and parameters. They are free from our preferences and patterns, our customization and personalization, they are the original settings the manufacturer established and we know that they work. Things like what is a sin. What are worship, prayer, fellowship, holiness and humility. What love looks and acts like. The default factory settings are what God says these things are, not our own interpretation, or our own experience or habits. Forgiveness in the factory settings is unlimited when someone asks, not meted out according to our own timing and standards.
What God calls a sin, we should call a sin and not allow more than He does. When we change the password to the kingdom to something other than the name and blood of Jesus, we being personalizing and customizing the gospel, and we run the risk of losing our connection, or not allowing others to connect to our network. When our definition of holiness is broader, wider, and more inclusive than God, we need to hit the reset button. When we get lifted up in pride, thinking we have God figured out and that we are closer to Him than we really are, we do things from memory and are actually working “offline” without even knowing it. When we are on “auto pilot” and just cruising through life, we are underpowered and gliding downward slowly, affected by the gradual pull of gravity until we realize we are in danger of crashing…we need to reset.
Life is not a game, but like some games, we do have a reset button in the Lord. But you have to press and hold. This establishes that you intend to reset to factory settings and understand that a reconfiguration will follow. Press in and hold on, let God reset you and establish a new and fresh connection with him. A new connection using His original configuration, the one we already knows works.
Everyday God... 