Eyes on the Throne or the Phone

We live in a generation that has never been more connected and yet never more distracted. The phone is always within reach. Notifications buzz. Screens glow. Feeds refresh endlessly. And without realizing it, our eyes drift downward far more often than they lift upward.
The real question is not whether technology is evil. The question is this: where are your eyes fixed? I had a buddy they other day say "Are my eyes on the throne or the phone?" and it inspired this blog. 

Scripture constantly calls God’s people to lift their gaze. Psalm 123:1 says, “To You I lift up my eyes, O You who are enthroned in the heavens” (LSB). That is not poetic filler. That is spiritual direction. Where your eyes go, your heart follows. Where your attention rests, your devotion slowly forms.

The throne represents authority, sovereignty, and rule. God reigns whether we acknowledge Him or not. He is not competing for power, but He does call for allegiance. When our eyes are on the throne, our lives are shaped by reverence, obedience, and trust. We remember who is in control, and we are freed from the anxiety of trying to be in control ourselves.

The phone, on the other hand, is not neutral when it becomes our primary focus. It disciples us more than we realize. It trains our minds to crave constant stimulation. It shortens our attention span for prayer, Scripture, and silence. It keeps us informed, but often spiritually unfed. Many believers know what is trending but struggle to recall what God has spoken.
Romans 12:2 warns us not to be conformed to this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind (LSB). Renewal does not happen by accident. It requires intentional focus. If the majority of our waking attention is shaped by screens, we should not be surprised when our spiritual sensitivity dulls.

This is not a call to throw away your phone. It is a call to put it in its proper place. Tools make terrible masters. When the phone becomes the first thing we reach for in the morning and the last thing we release at night, it reveals something about our trust, our comfort, and our hunger.

Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (LSB). What captures your attention captures your affection. What captures your affection shapes your worship.

Eyes on the throne change how we live. We respond rather than react. We pray before we post. We listen before we scroll. We sit with God long enough for conviction, comfort, and clarity to form. We remember that the King is not loud, frantic, or panicked. He is seated. Reigning. Faithful.

The phone will always demand your eyes. The throne invites them.
One leads to restlessness. The other leads to reverence.
One keeps you informed. The other keeps you transformed.

So pause today. Lift your head. Still your hands. Ask yourself honestly: where have my eyes been fixed?

Because in the end, it is not about technology. It is about worship.
Eyes on the throne will always lead to a life rightly ordered under the reign of God.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Pastor Jody