Devotion 4.29.16

Apple Inc. suffered its first quarterly loss in 13 years.  That's the news this morning, and the analysts are speculating as to why this may have occurred.  The theme is that nothing is really new, so there hasn't been that "next big thing." 

The "last big thing" according to analysts was the iPhone 6 which, they claim, was a great innovation to the iPhone.  The watch?  Ho-hum.  iPad? Yesterday's news.  So, what will that "next big thing" be is the question?  A car, perhaps.  Google is working on a driverless car, so logically Apple has pressure from competitors in that potential market as well as their stronghold.

Really, though, isn't all this invention and innovation really more about convenience?  My albums were perfectly good, but the CD was a logical next step.  Both, however, gave me music.  Apple came along and said, "How about this?" and put out its iPod.  (Now albums are becoming popular again if you talk to music folks.)  The technology world has given us a way to speed up the delivery of information, but that information basically existed in a different form before these inventions and innovations.  From carbon copy to NCR paper to fax machine to scanning.  From encyclopedias and libraries to Google. Sure, we've learned more each year, thanks in part to technology, but the more things change, the more they remain the same.

We can almost hear a modern day Solomon say, "Is there a thing of which it is said, 'See, this is new'? It has been already in the ages before us.  There is no remembrance of former things nor will there be any remembrance of later things yet to be among those who come after." (Ecclesiastes 1:10-11) 

Yet we know the source of all things new.  In Revelation, we hear the voice of God proclaim, "Behold, I am making all things new!....It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end."  (Revelation 21:5-6)  Our creator and redeemer creates all things new, not just innovations of convenience, but new creations redeemed through Christ.

We thank God for giving us all things new, including creating new creations in us through his Son Jesus Christ.

Hope Men's Ministry