I use my phone as an alarm clock. It has a simple way to set alarms and I use it not only to tell me when it is time to get up in the morning, but also to remind me of meetings and other scheduled items throughout the day. Once in a while I slip into bed tired and forget to put the phone in its charging stand at the headboard of the bed. That is no problem, because I will still hear the alarm and the phone can be charged while I work at my computer. The phone, however, has other alerts and sounds that it makes through the night. There is a tone, which I usually remember to turn off, when e-mail arrives, another when a text message is received, a third when breaking news is reported. I’ve learned to sleep through the various beeps and buzzes of my phone most of the time. I turn the volume down. Decades ago we had a land line installed in our bedroom and we have a phone on the headboard of our bed. That phone’s ringer is kept turned off. We can hear the phone ringing elsewhere in the house, but have the option to answer it without rising from bed. It is a luxury for a family that often needs to respond to calls in the middle of the night. Now I sleep with two communications devises near my head each evening.

It is enough to get me thinking about the appropriate uses of technology. I do appreciate the ability to stay in touch when important things are going on. I enjoy the calls from our children, the little messages with photos of our grandson, and the ability to check in with my wife throughout the day. I like to be able to check the weather or traffic while I am on the go.

But I am aware that all of our devices, while filled with lots of possibilities, present challenges to contemporary people. Having a phone at hand all of the time means that the possibility of being interrupted is constant. There are some things in life that deserve our full attention. There are some times in life when interruptions are not appropriate.

The one time when I am consistent about not using my phone is when I am leading worship. I don’t even take my phone into the Sanctuary during a service. It stays in my briefcase. For that hour, I focus on what is at hand. I am aware that there are some people in the pews who cannot turn off their devices. First responders who have to be available in the event of an emergency, physicians who might be called to the hospital, parents awaiting critical news from their children and others need to have their phones (hopefully set on vibrate instead of a loud ring tone) in worship. But I am able to leave my phone knowing that I can check messages after worship.

I am trying to work with the youth in our church to develop reasonable protocols for a few sacred moments when we set aside our devices. I used to ask the youth to turn off their phones when we were traveling in the car. I thought that the conversation of the car was valuable and sending text messages distracting and a way of opting out of the community as members of the youth group traveled to and from activities. The youth protested. Some even had some good arguments for using phones in the car. They were reporting to their parents what time to meet after youth group. They were telling their friends about our church and its activities. They wanted to share pictures while the memories were fresh. I have relented about the use of the phones in the car. I try to model for the youth by not using my phone while driving. I have the ability to use my phone hands free, but I try not to use it while driving most of the time and to never use it when I am driving a carload of the church’s youth. But I do allow the youth to use their devices. In order to do so they have to endure a bit of my commentary about the use of technology, but most of the youth are used to that.

I do, however, maintain some times and moments that are “sacred space,” when we ask the youth to put aside their devices. When we pray and share devotions, we focus our attention on being together and worship without the distraction of the phones. This means that there are some things we do that are not photographed. The youth are used to a constant stream of photos from their phones to social networking sites. Some of those photos help to promote our church and its ministries, but there are some times when I ask them to stop taking photos and simply experience the moment.

The use of devices is an element in human freedom in our time. Some become addicted to the devices and don’t know how to behave without them. Some constantly use the devices to mediate their experiences. Too many use them to work longer hours and fail to make a separation between work and home. Instead of liberating us, the devices enslave us. I can imagine that God might want to add another commandment: On the Sabbath thou shall refrain from using any cell phone or computer or tablet device. One day each week you shall be liberated from constant connection.

I know a day is too much to ask, but how about a dinner hour without the devices? How about a worship service?

When we go on vacation, I turn off all of the alarms in my phone and allow myself to sleep without interruption. I barely notice the difference. I tend to rise at about the same time. I’m not sure that I sleep any better than when I have the phone on my headboard ready to wake me. I am, however, open to considering other times when I declare my independence from the devices and refuse to allow the phone to rule all of my activities.

New occasions teach new skills. New technologies demand new ways of living. I don’t think we’ve mastered these devices yet. Until when learn to set them aside, we are not fully in control.

Copyright © 2013 by Ted Huffman. I wrote this. If you want to copy it, please ask for permission. There is a contact me button at the bottom of this page. If you want to share my blog a friend, please direct your friend to my web site.