not 'communicating'

Computers are great when they work. When they don't, it can be irksome.

There's a problem with my computer at present. Not a major problem. The computer still works.

It's just that for reasons best known to itself it's been refusing, in the language of technology, to 'communicate' with the video projector. Which does create a problem or two.

The video projector is working fine. It seems happy to 'communicate' with any and every other lap-top computer. Whereas my lap-top, while working well in every other way, refuses to 'communicate' with video projectors (I've tried it with more than one).

It seems to have a thing about projectors. A non-communication thing. A technological huff, the reason for which (like a lot of the huffs people have) is not immediately obvious.

I had it up town to a specialist lap-top place: they were all for engaging in the computer equivalent of the sort of thing that 'Relate' does. Marriage guidance. Getting parties 'communicating' with one another again.

Except this was a long-term project. I'd need to leave both the lap-top and the video projector with them for a while. I didn't have the 'while' to give them. So I think I'll have to explore some other avenue.

The whole day's been about 'communicating'. It's not just computers which sometimes have a problem communicating. People do too. With one another: and with the Lord.

Much of the afternoon was spent with some folk working through our roll of members. We have quite a large roll of members: but quite a large number who haven't been at worship for a good long while.

When folk haven't participated in the sacrament called 'communion', the term we use, interestingly, is that they haven't 'communicated'.

Not communicating with God: and, to some extent, not communicating with their fellow believers either. It's not a healthy sign.

Like a computer, though they may be working fine in other respects, this lack of 'communication' is not a healthy thing. We were made to 'communicate'. With the Lord and with each other.

The computer folk at the specialist shop were suggesting that the problem was probably deep inside the lap-top. it might to a guy like me seem just a small little thing which needed a bit of fixing: but in truth, they were saying, I need a whole new motherboard/mainboard.

At least, the lap-top does.

The same is true of ourselves. When we're not 'communicating' (with the Lord) there's something wrong. Something deeply flawed.

And though it often seems to us as though it is a minor thing, surely rather easily corrected, in fact it's far more basic. The 'replacement motherboard' diagnosis works out for us as the need to be 'born again'.

Our not having been 'communicating' is a sign of that need for a work of the Spirit of God in our hearts and lives.

Sometimes, though, our problem is a whole load simpler.

At night I was round to see a group of children who'll be at the funeral service I'm conducting in a couple of days' time. I wanted to put their minds at ease about what would be going on. What to expect and why it all happens, and .. well, anything they wanted to ask.

It helps to be able to talk it all through.

We ended up talking about all sorts of things. And one of the lads at one point asked -

"But I don't know how to communicate with God. How do you do it? How do you communicate with God?"

Most of us feel at least a bit like that. The first disciples certainly did.

"Teach us to pray," they asked Jesus. Pretty much the same question.

It's not that complicated, of course! A child can pick it up.

I love it when people ask questions like that. When they want to be communicating with God ... but don't know how.

That's altogether different from those who don't have the inclination, aren't that bothered, and don't really wish to be living in touch with God.

And a lot more easily fixed.