Txt Me!

No, that’s not a misspelling. It’s text-speak for “Text me!” Like you would on a cell phone.

If you follow today’s students on Facebook, you’ll see messages like, “Going 2 mall. Txt me!” and “At the beach. Txt me!” or “bout 2 gt bite 2 eat. Got my cell. Txt me!”

And then it hit me. I’d found a major difference between this generation and mine.

I’m from the “Call me!” generation. We prefer phone calls.

But have you ever tried to call a teenager? You get their voice mail and they might call you. Or they might not. Why? Because they’re into texting. Big time.

Email? Way too slow. Just 11 per cent of all teens use it. And then only to communicate with the older generation, teachers or businesses.

If you want to reach teenagers, the best way to do it is to text them.

Texting is now the most common way to communicate for teenagers. Two thirds of teen texters say they’re more likely to use their cell phone to text their friends than to talk to them.

Some teens consider phone calls a rude interruption. They’ll text friends first to make an appointment for a phone call.

If you’re from the “Txt me!” generation, have you read God’s text message?

“Now hold on just a minute! God sent a text message?”

Yes he did. It’s called the Bible. And it reveals how timeless God’s message is! The beauty of it is that you can read it any time and hear God speak to you. Even on your cell phone.

There are free Bible applications for many cell phones available for download. I carry several Bible versions on my phone and use them all the time. Some applications let you search for key words and find verses you remember. That’s something you can’t do with a print version!

When you read God’s text message, what does he say? That he made you for a purpose. And he loves you so much that he wants to bless you. He wants you to live life to the full.

How can you do that? By following God’s son, Jesus Christ in obedient faith. Trusting in him to do for you what you cannot do for yourself: To forgive your sin and give you eternal life.

In text message language that would be, “4 Gd so luvd d wrld dat he gav his 1 n only son, dat hu Blevz n him shll nt di bt av lyf 4ever” (Jn 3:16).

What if, like me, you’re from the “Call me!” generation? God has a message for you, too. He says, “Call me and I will answer you and tell you great and mighty things you do not know.”

Skeptical? Jesus invites you to consider his claims and to follow him in obedience. He said, “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own.”

When true seekers asked Jesus what they could do to please God, he responded with, “The work of God is this; to believe in the one he has sent.”

Many people are preoccupied with the Ten Commandments. But Jesus summed them up this way: “Love the Lord your God with all you heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Then he added, “And love your neighbor as yourself.”

So no matter what generation you’re from God’s message is the same. Whether you text it or listen to it, God has spoken. Don’t take my word for it. Read it for yourself. On your cell phone or on a printed page. Then go out and do the right thing.

Where should you start? A good place is always the New Testament Gospel of John.

Listen to the Bible; it’s great for your soul!