LEAVING A MESSAGE FOR GOD

In March 2009, Dutch artist Johan van der Dong decided God needed a telephone number. So, he got him one, a cell phone number to be exact--to show that God was "available anywhere and anytime." In an interview, Dong said, "In earlier times you would go to a church to say a prayer. Now [you] just make a phone call and say your prayer in a modern way."

Do you know, within one week, over 1,000 people left God a message! The only problem is, when you call the number, you get a recorded message: "This is the voice of God. I am not able to speak to you at the moment, but please leave a message." That doesn’t exactly communicate the idea of a God who is "available anywhere and anytime," does it? The only thing Dong has managed to do is connect people to an altogether disconnected God.

Source: Brian Lowery, Associated Press, "Dutch leave messages on God phone," www.newsvote.bbc.co.uk (3-7-09), and Reuters, "Leave God a message at his Dutch answering service," www.reuters.com (3-2-09). From a sermon by C. Philip Green, "The Power of His Presence" 7/10/2009.