In 2014 Amazon introduced the world to Alexa. Alexa can perform many functions including play music, set you a quiz, make a shopping list and seemingly answer any question. She sits quietly in the corner of the room until a ‘wake word’ causes her to jump to attention and satisfy your pressing demand.
I spent an afternoon with my 4 nephews when Alexa was repeatedly asked to rely the scores of the in-play football matches. She was forgotten about for the rest of the evening as she had no use until asked to forecast the weather for the following day as activities were being planned
This got me thinking – do we have a tendency to treat God a bit like Alexa. We are content for God to sit in the corner, on mute, out of our way, not commenting on life until we decide we want His input. We then call his name and expect Him to become alert immediately and give us what we need. After all isn’t this what we have contracted with Him and we demand a good service. God isn’t big into the instantaneous, occasionally it happens – healing miracles being one example. Waiting seems to be a significant part of God’s operating system. Jesus doesn’t receive the instantaneous. Luke chapter 6 describes Jesus staying all night prayer to discern the make up of the twelve who would become his disciples. He doesn’t receive a “divine download” so why should we expect to.
We live in a society which expects the immediate. We expect the answer or information to be right at hand. We have become conditioned to this and wobetide anyone who causes delay. If poor Alexa was to reply “let me find out and I will get back to you” she would be returned to the store and a refund requested. We expect the answer to our question to be precise, accurate and speedy. The problem with Alexa is she lacks a certain nuance. Her answers are stock - one size fits all which don’t account for our individuality and personality.
A number of years ago Alexa found herself in controversy when it was discovered that she listened permanently into what conversations went on around her. People tried ways to override this function but failed. The reported purpose of this was so that Alexa could learn about us, get to know our preferences thereby meeting our needs better. But the world wondered who was really listening – was it Amazon ready to bombard with tantilsing offers, Donald Trump, China, Mother Russia. It seems we like to be heard but only when we want.
The reality is that as followers of Jesus, we not God need to be more like Alexa. Always ‘listening’ out to God. Our God is a loving God who draws us into relationship with Him. He wants to communicate with us. Just like Samuel in the Temple trained by Eli to listen to God we need to learn this also. I believe God is constantly trying to get our attention but so often we fail to notice. Thomas Merton put it like this “Every moment and every event in a persons life on earth plants something in their soul. For just as the wind carries thousands of winged seeds, so each moment brings with it germs of spiritual vitality that come to rest imperceptibly in the minds and wills of the human.”
The parable of the sower shows the importance of the human’s receptivity to receive the word of God. The seed taking root is never a given and there is a level of responsibility in the hearer to cultivate the conditions in which the seed can be nourished and release it’s full possibility. What is not in doubt is the generosity of the sower, who scatters generously in a reckless throwaway style. It is risked on hard ground – I for one am thankful the Lord Jesus never flinched from spreading the word on hard hearts like my own. We need to switch on and begin to pay attention to God. Begin to notice our thoughts, feelings, joys, the encounters with others that stir us as well as our resistances. Our generous God uses the whole gambit of human experiences to communicate with us. However most of the time we are on ‘standby’ or distracted cultivating weeds. Rather than expect the Alexa like answer, I truly believe that within all of his communication will lie the answer to your question. May we develop ears, eyes and hearts that listen. One of the best ways for learning to do this is the daily examen.
Alexa is a by-product of the speedy way we live. A world of noise and quick answers. This is hard terrain to hear from God. We need to be disciplined to live in a different rhythm.
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