The Middle Man
My name is Deanna Opheim and I have an unhealthy relationship with… podcasts. Seriously, I’m obsessed. I certainly don’t discriminate against any genres, but my absolute favorite podcasts to listen to are, hands down, sermons and faith-based interviews. Technology allows me to listen to my ‘faves virtually anytime and anywhere. That’s awesome right? But here is the crux to my new found addiction: I began to make podcasting my new idol, and even worse, “The Middle Man.”
Who is this Middle Man I speak of? Well, let me tell you about the O.G. of Middle Men found in scripture! In the book of Exodus, we find the story of Moses. In the Old Testament, Jesus had not yet come to reconcile His people to God, so to communicate to His chosen people, Israel, He went through a Middle Man named Moses. Moses would go up to Mount Sinai, meet God face to face, then return down to his tribe and share what the Lord had said. In fact, after one specific encounter with God, Moses returned down the mountain with a glowing face (Exodus 34:29)! Moses was displaying a physical radiance of God’s glory, just from encountering Him!
Moses was the lucky dude who had the privilege to be God’s Middle Man for His people. Thankfully, because of what Jesus did on the cross, we no longer need a liaison or prophet to be in communion with our Creator, PRAISE GOD!
So what’s this all have to do with my podcast infatuation? Well, I am glad you asked. After a week filled with multiple downloads and listens to my favorite sermons and shows, The Lord asked me, “Why are you spending more time with these podcasts than you are with Me?” *GULP* Conviction sank in and flooded my spirit in a holy way. At that point, I realized I was allowing these cybernetic voices to replace the TRUE voice, God Himself. I justified tuning in so often because what I was listening to was Gospel and Christ-based, but it still wasn’t Christ Himself. Unbeknownst to me, I was making podcasts my Moses, in a time where the Middle Man was no longer necessary. I was cheating myself from true intimacy with God. I can’t help but think, in this era of technology how many other people are doing the same thing.
Every now and then, I find myself in a conversation with someone who says they do not attend church anymore, but they’ll tune in online and stream a service on Sunday mornings. It normally boils down to convenience, right? The same thing goes for replacing our devotional/quiet time with an audio book or podcast sermon. It’s convenient, its quick, and it doesn’t require a lot of brain power. Seasons of life fluctuate and I understand implementing technology into our time with Jesus, but we MUST not let it steal our intimacy with our Father by becoming the Middle Man.
Jesus endured the cross so we could find Him through prayer, reading scripture and being still before Him. We find Him by physically ATTENDING church, small groups and investing in relationships. Podcasts and audio books are a wonderful supplement to our hands-on relationship with Him, but should never substitute our relationship with Him, see the difference? Today, I invite you to survey your relationship with God and see how much technology you may or may not rely on. I encourage you to spend less and less time with the Middle Man and more time in His Presence.
But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
Matthew 6:6
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Deanna will be a part of our Hot Topics Panel this Thursday at Gather Her! Plus, special guests Erin Ruoff of Hi Lovely! Check out all the details and RSVP
