— Richard Peskett

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

There is an old spiritual song called, Give me Jesus. Here is the first verse:

In the morning, when I rise,

In the morning, when I rise,

In the morning, when I rise,

Give me Jesus.

When most Christians wake up in the morning, their mantra is not, “Give me Jesus,” but rather, “Give me my mobile phone.”

Did you know that the average mobile ownership in Africa, according to a recent survey of 34 African countries, is 84%? Telcom operators are targeting Africa with affordable phones to increase their use. Furthermore, it has recently been reported that South Africans spend more time on their screens than any other nation in the world. How much time is this? The report states that the average South African spends 58.2% of their day in front of screens, “with 22.5% of their day dedicated to scrolling social media.” Can this really be true? A recent guest in our home averaged over 10 hours a day on their phone.

Think of what is filling the minds of such people. Consider how mobile phones are harming their owners—not with microwaves, as some suggest, but by keeping believers from reading their Bibles and from enjoying sweet communion with God.

Be honest, when you get up in the morning, do you start your day by checking WhatsApp, emails, and blogs, or do you spend time in God’s Word and in enjoying God in prayer? George Müller helpfully said, “The first great and primary business to which I ought to attend every day was, to have my soul happy in the Lord.”

Some might argue that they listen to their Bibles on their phones, or listen to sermons or Christian music. But passive listening is not the same as spending time alone with God.

Remember what the Lord Jesus said? “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matt 6:6). This is getting away from other people, and from distractions.

In his book on prayer, Pastor John MacArthur writes, “Alone with God — such an opportunity should be the Christian’s greatest longing. Yet so many of us struggle to spend even brief amounts of time with the Father.” And one of the major reasons we struggle…is because we are distracted by our phones! 

Many believers no longer use a paper Bible, but “read” their phones. Yet even as they read, messages pop up and distract them. Even if you don’t open such notifications, reading the Bible on your phone will inhibit your meditation simply because it is the tool you use most of the day to communicate with others.

Friend, how much time are you spending every day on your phone? With what is your mind being filled? We read news reports of war, corruption, violence, and injustice. We read blogs which have an unhealthy preoccupation with trying to put the world to rights. No wonder we find ourselves fearful, discontent, and lacking joy!

We read articles about how we might better spend our time and our money and our resources – and all the while we spend more time away from Jesus.

As Christians, we are called to look elsewhere. God’s Word tells us, “let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus…” (Heb 12:1 – 2). Perhaps your mobile phone is a weight you need to lay aside, at the very least for the time you are spending prayerfully reading your Bible. 

Believer, like the first recipients of the book of Hebrews, you are urged to fix your eyes on Jesus. Like them, we live in a sin-cursed world, full of struggles and temptations and pain. Your phone will not bring you contentment and comfort, as you hope, nor will it give you strength to withstand temptation. For all its alluring promises, the content of your mobile phone will not satisfy the deepest longings of your heart. Scrolling on your phone leads only to discontent and despair. God has “put eternity into man’s heart” (Eccl 3:11). God has made us to know and love Him, and to find our satisfaction in Him.

Take time to fix your eyes on Jesus. Find your joy and your delight in Him — the Good Shepherd, the Bread of Life, Immanuel, the Faithful and True Witness, our risen Saviour, our merciful and faithful High Priest, the Man of Sorrows and the Lion of Judah, the Great I AM, and the Bright Morning Star. 

Ponder what you have through your union with Him. In Christ, you have a living hope, through His resurrection from the dead, so set your hope fully on His coming (See 1 Peter 1:13; Colossians 3:1 – 4). It is looking to Christ that will fuel your worship, not your phone, as you see more of His glorious perfections, even as you behold Him who is the radiance of the glory of God (Heb 1:3).

The last verse of the spiritual song is;

Oh, when I come to die,

Oh, when I come to die,

Oh, when I come to die,

Give me Jesus.

When you are on your deathbed, will you be wanting your phone or Jesus?