When someone used to say that they were all a-twitter it meant that they were infatuated or romantically smitten.
Those of us who are fans of Disney, remember well the scenes in Bambi when all the characters became twitterpated in the Spring.
However now when the word “Twitter” is used it’s connected to social media and “following” some of your favorite friends, sports figures, politicians and news makers.
Dave and I are not very tech savvy. Our world is simplistic and old-fashioned. We read books from hard copy, like to have phone conversations instead of texting and enjoyed writing letters instead of emails so when our friend began to tell us about the advantages of Twitter yesterday we were uninformed but interested.
I do post the blog to Twitter each morning but don’t really have any followers nor do I follow anyone. But our simple tutorial yesterday morning got me to thinking.
Tweets from the people I follow with just pop up throughout the day…interesting. So if I find someone who, like me, enjoys sharing Scripture then I could be receiving random verses of encouragement all during the day.
I like that!
If Jesus were alive and ministering today I can see Him having a Twitter account.
“Jesus continued walking by Lake Galilee. He saw two other brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee. They were preparing their nets to catch fish. Jesus told the brothers to come with him. 22 So they immediately left the boat and their father, and they followed Jesus.
23 Jesus went everywhere in the country of Galilee. He taught in the synagogues and told the Good News about God’s kingdom. And he healed all the people’s diseases and sicknesses.” Matthew 4:21-23 ERV
He reached out to people everywhere He went. So it’s not hard to imagine that he would have a Facebook page, a Twitter account and be on Instagram. Jesus was a people person. He showed up where they did, touched their lives and they followed him.
“When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him.” Matthew 8:1
“And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him.” Matthew 8:23
“And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou son of David, have mercy on us.” Matthew 9:27
“But when Jesus knew it, he withdrew himself from thence: and great multitudes followed him, and he healed them all;” Matthew 12:15
Doesn’t the same hold true for us? Don’t we really desire to follow Jesus? King David gave us the example of the Lord being our shepherd. Sheep follow their shepherd instinctively.
“Jesus said: I tell you for certain that only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. 2-3 But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd’s voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.
4 When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. 5 The sheep will not follow strangers. They don’t recognize a stranger’s voice, and they run away.” John 10:1-5 CEV
It’s important that we listen and then follow as Christ leads us to those green pastures and still waters. It’s there we find rest and peace from life’s stresses.
Our days become so busy. It’s hard to find time to sit and reflect on God’s word without being interrupted. So let me challenge you with this. Find a Twitter account to follow that will periodically tweet out a Scripture verse. When that notification comes, read the verse and say this simple prayer: “Lord what are you saying to me right now, I am determined to follow You.”
We can become more twitterpated for Christ by reading God’s word on Twitter.
“Be followers of God as dear children, 2 and walk in love, even as Christ loved us and gave himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice of a sweet savour to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2