Factory data Reset

Fresh out of the Box

Some time back I bought a tablet from the store. I felt I needed something to help organize my life. I had the thought that I could benefit from the tools it would provide. I envisioned life being made simpler. I had expectations and felt it would be worth the price to buy.

Fresh out of the box; I glanced at the booklet siting on the desk, started unraveling the power cord and plugged it in to use it. It was already partially charged, so I hit the ‘On’ button; and away we went. There were all kinds of setup options asked of me to personalize its use. I was also provided opportunities to download other features and shortcuts. I started playing with the different buttons and icons to access the programs.

As I looked back at this, I thought about our new life as a Christian. Freshly ‘Born again’ we begin our new walk un-condemned, but also un-knowledgeable; learning as we go. A couple of verses came to mind.

Romans 6:4 “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”    

Romans 8:1 “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”    

Anti-Virus protection option

            One of the options provided to me was purchasing an anti-virus program to protect the tablet from malware etc. I had to think about whether or not the program was worth the additional monthly fee and upkeep. Do I think I will need it? Once, again, I see this related to our Christian walk. Do we utilize the protection given to us by God? Have we followed the instructions and kept the anti-virus protection current?

Some related Bible verses:

Proverbs 3:1–2 “My son, forget not my law; But let thine heart keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, And peace, shall they add to thee.”   

2 Timothy 2:15 “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”          

2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”

Use and Applications

There were unlimited opportunities available to me with the tablet. Access to many new and even unexpected things. Increased knowledge was now available. Good and Bad. Opportunities and temptations. As we think about it; a tool is a neutral thing, but how we use it is a different matter altogether. What programs do we add? Is it for our entertainment? Or is there a greater purpose for its use.

Galatians 5:13 “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”           

Psalm 119:105 “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.”       

Slow Performance and Glitches

            After some time and a lot of use, the tablet didn’t perform as good as it used to. Search, download and delete; search, download and delete. Over and over. I would follow whatever whim or desire I had. Sometimes the searches would show me things I was not ready for. Sometimes I would see things I should not have.

            In our Christian walk we are guided by the Spirit, but whether we choose to listen is another matter. The choice is ours. Sometimes we do not pay attention to where we are going, or what we are doing. Next thing we know, we are asking ourselves, how did this happen? Or how did I end up in this situation?

1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”     

Proverbs 16:25 “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.”        

The King of the heavens gives us the wisdom to walk a correct path, if we are willing to listen. But in order to listen, we must be in his word, around his people, and immersed in his love. Have you ever noticed that in the animal kingdom, the weak animal is slaughtered when it is separated from the rest of the heard. Do we separate ourselves and put ourselves at risk?

We all have weaknesses and addictions, but they need not control us. We can lean on the Lord to help us overcome them or work around them. The Lord shows us that we make a conscious choice to sin. He always gives us a way out if we head his direction. We need not be trapped.

Factory Reset

I had a desktop computer that I used for many years. It became so out of date and operated so slowly that it was about useless. The operating system was not supported, and I could not update it anymore. I never seemed to accomplish the work what I had planned with it.

My tablet and computer both had a feature called a Factory Data Reset. It put the operating system back to the day it was purchased and erases everything. The Bad, and the good. The feature would fix the problems and viruses, but it will take everything saved with it. Any previous work will be wiped away. You don’t risk saving anything because you don’t know what was infected.

Even in our Christian walk we may find that a drastic change is needed to correct a situation. We get trapped because we did not take the appropriate precautions and then did not heed the warning signs. We chose a path that became caustic. Sometimes we find ourselves needing an outside influence to intervene, but we know it will be painful, and yet it may be the only way to recover and head in the right direction. Isn’t that what grace is all about.

When the children of Israel had gotten so far into their idol worship and serving other gods, Yahweh God pronounced a judgement on them that seemed heartless if you don’t pay attention to it. He would use the Babylonian King Nebuchadrezzar (Jeremiah 21) to kill or remove the people from the promised land. They would become servants in a foreign land. The only Israelites that would survive were told they needed to go out to the invaders ahead of time to surrender.

God knew the pollution was so great that the people would never recover. He used a gentile king to fix the problem. Many people would never see their home again. But sometimes the healing takes generations.

God has a recovery plan for the Christian too. If they are willing to be honest, decide they need the help, and ask him to guide them. It may take counseling, opening up to others, or a fresh start, but God’s grace is always available. And, his love, never ending.

2 Chronicles 7:14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”