“Real Time Religion”

Real Time Religion

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1)

While comparing Four Wheel Drive ( FWD) and All Wheel Drive (AWD) vehicles, I was struck by the reference to systems that function in real time. There are systems that function in one mode and move to another when conditions warrant. The airbag system in your automobile, your personal computer, and cell phone are programmed to perform certain function within a time frame that we consider as immediate.
We are at the mercy of these systems. For example, the soft real time operating system on your cell phone may not work when it should and there is a delay when you try to send a message. We accept these inadequacies as a part of life. But in an automobile accident, the slightest error in timing (causing the airbag to deploy too early or too late) could be fatal. Somethings must work as intended or we pay the ultimate price. What may these real time systems teach us about the life of faith?
Real-time operating systems typically run a limited set of software rather than many applications. They keep things simple. In this way they are not cluttered with unnecessary information. They are not confused in a crisis. They are dedicated to the task.
There are systems that run a variety of applications and their time is divided among many tasks. In these systems, operations are not governed by priorities. Consequently, things that should be done first are done later. Low-priority tasks may be given high priority. In these systems the designer’s wishes are not always followed. Anything goes.
The less cluttered our minds and lives, the more our hearts are free to be fixed on the Lord . The Psalmist said: “One thing have I desired of the Lord….” We do better when we have a single focus in life. Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. No one can serve two masters. A life that is about simplicity and singularity is free from destructive distraction. The double-minded person is unstable in all his ways. Pascal spoke to this when he said: The last thing we know is what to put first. Jesus tells us to seek first the Kingdom of heaven.
Real-time systems do what they do because the programmer knows which operations should have priority in every situation. When there is an impact, the air bag system follows the programmer’s priorities, not its own, and deploys at the right moment. A good real-time system is valued for how quickly or how predictably it can respond and do what is expected in real time.
Real-time systems are designed to respond to the programmer’s instructions in the right way and at the right time. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow reminds us that life is real and life is earnest. All of life is lived in real time. We have a creator, one who has designed us and placed in our hearts written instructions so that we may do the right thing at the right time in each situation of life. We do well in real time when God controls our lives through the instructions he has written on our hearts.
The air bag system cannot second guess the programmer; nor should we think that we know better than the Lord. Each time we get into an automobile, we are trusting the safety systems in that vehicle to work as intended. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. We can count on the Lord to respond in real time. The Lord is your keeper. He who keeps Israel shall neither slumber or sleep. God is a present help in time of trouble.