Hakuna Matata: Unplugging

Brain Spark

Simba and the Hakuna Matata Life

Many of us have seen Disney’s Lion King. In this story we are told about a young cub who is framed for the murder of his father by his uncle. He then runs away and meets two new friends who encourage him to live a worry-free life with no real responsibilities. He grows up and is then met by a childhood friend who reminds him of who he is. He then struggles internally as he tries to figure out if he wants to continue to indulge in carefree non-responsible lifestyle with his new friends or go back and be a king for his people. Watch the video attached to the link below.

To see video click HERE (https://youtu.be/71_p8P_PVXo)

In the video below Simba is challenged by a crazy old friend Rafiki to remember who he is. He has abandoned what was important because of some challenges and an adopted problem free philosophy.

1. Why was it so easy for Simba to forget that he was a king and the responsibilities that came with that?

2. Why do you think Rafiki challenged Simba to remember his past?

3. Is our past important in our spiritual life?

4. What distractions do we have that give us the Hakuna Matata life?

Say: Simba forgot that he was royalty, and the easy life took his attention away from what was important. I wonder if we as Christians have distractions that take us away from God. How many of us have even thought about this? Do we have an Hakuna Matata Spiritual life?

Getting Started

Jessica’s Last Email

Steve threw up his hands in exasperation. He had worked on dinner all afternoon and his wife was late coming home from work again! He was about to explode at his children because of the anger of his wife not coming home on time again! He was again preparing a table for their 3 children trying his best to keep them under control. Jessica would later walk into the house assuring her husband that her tardiness was warranted. She began to explain how there was a project that was due and as she left; she opened her email to see that her team felt as if they could not get it completed without her! So, Jessica decided to stay and help her team finish the project due next week. Steve held in how he really felt, knowing that Jessica was a workaholic. But his heart grew exceedingly cold toward her and their children were growing up without him.

Jacquise’s “Blessings”

Jacquise was once a man of many addictions. He was a sex addict, alcoholic, and had a terrible porn addiction. He was the product of the projects and a single parent home. That was until he established a relationship with God 15 years ago, his life was turned around! Now Jacquise is a faithful member of the church, a community leader, a great husband, a great father, had a great job in IT, and a nationally ranked player on Fortnite. Recently Jacquise has been playing Fortnite 4 hours a day! His wife tells him that he is divided and that his zeal he once had for God has lessened. He just cannot figure out how to get right!

Moses told the people of God as they were exiting the wilderness time in Deuteronomy 8:10-11 “You shall eat your fill and bless the LORD your God for the good land that he has given you. Take care that you do not forget the LORD your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today.” God truly blesses his own! But can the blessings become a curse?

1. What seems to be the shared problem with Jacquise and Jessica?

2. Is using technology a sin?

3. Can we lessen time with God and strengthen our relationship with Him at the same time?

Digging In

Moses is considered by most to be the author of Deuteronomy. It is the last book in the Pentateuch and especially important for the people of God, the Israelites. Moses gives a lot of instructions here from God and in the eighth chapter that we will observe on today he gives a bit of a warning. Moses begins by asking the people of God to remember who they are as they finally go in to possess the land promised so long ago to Abraham. He explains to the people of God also in chapter 8 that while they were in the wilderness eating water, drinking from rocks, and being bitten by snakes God was teaching them about Himself and themselves. Our text begins in chapter 8 verse number 10.

Deuteronomy 8:10–20 ESV

And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water, who brought you water out of the flinty rock, who fed you in the wilderness with manna that your fathers did not know, that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end. Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.’ You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish. Like the nations that the Lord makes to perish before you, so shall you perish, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

1. God literally changed the lives of these descendants of slaves. Were the blessings of verse 10 a setup to fail?

a. My Response: It is not in the character of God to set His people up for failure.

2. Moses tells the people in verse 11 to “Take Care” or “Be careful” to not forget the Lord. Is it possible to forget God? If so How?

a. My Response: The people of God are about to be blessed in a mighty way (V12-14). When blessings multiply so do the feelings of self-sufficiency. God gave them all they needed in the wilderness (water, food, clothes that never wore out). But humanity can forget in blessings.

3. The Israelites were brought through some terrible situations. (V14-15) What wilderness has God brought you out of? In what ways did God provide while in the wilderness? (V16)

a. My response: Allow the class to share their wilderness moments. Only share if it is beneficial to the class.

4. It may seem unimaginable that these witnesses could every think of themselves as anything but grateful recipients of the grace of God. Have we lost touch with who God is at some point in our lives? (V17)

5. How can technology cause us to forget/ruin the horizontal (people) and vertical (God) relationship?

6. What is the answer to a forgetful or distracted heart towards humanity and God? (V18-19)

a. My response: Moses says to remember God is the source. And the product of what they had was because of the promise made to Abraham just as it is for us today. He also gives a warning. Make gods of created things and we will be ruined/perish. We will welcome in the fate of the world onto ourselves.

Many times, we, as Christians can allow technology to distract us from our horizontal and vertical relationships. We see that Moses warns the Israelites and tells them what to do to not forget. They must “REMEMBER”! Now the Lion King reference makes sense. Go back and read that last sentence again in James Earl Jones voice.

Making It Real

There is a spiritual practice called Unplugging and it is defined by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun in “Spiritual Disciplines Handbook” in this manner “Unplugging calls us to leave the virtual world of technology (computers, email, cell phones, iPads, iPods, etc.) in order to become present to God and others.” This practice also is said to include things like “Unplugging electronic devices that interrupt relationships”, “abstaining from digital recreation”, and “communicating face to face rather than virtually”.

1. In what ways can you unplug?

2. In what ways can you focus on focusing on your relationship with God?

3. In what ways can you focus on your human relationships?

Challenges

1. Abstain from social media usage for a week.

2. Turn off your phone all day on Saturday and spend the day reflecting on your wilderness journeys with God.

3. Respond to three coworker’s email with a face to face response.

4. Plan a family picnic

Closing Prayer

Dear heavenly Father, we thank you for your miraculous work of delivering us individually from our wilderness moments. We ask that while we exist in the surplus of life easing technology you keep it ever present on our hearts to never forget you. Help us to intentionally establish time for focus on our horizontal and vertical relationships. In Jesus name Amen.