Daily Devotions
posted Monday through Friday
ChatGPT, will you write a devotion for me?
Today’s devotion is written by Prince of Peace member, Christer Cederberg.
Early February, Pastor Peter emailed me: “I need your help. It’s clear that our ministry of providing a daily devotional reading is one of the places our community continues to connect regularly.” Behind each devotion is a person who spends time writing a serious contribution. Somehow, I (Christer) end up spending more time than many … just searching for relevant topics. This time was no different.
Perhaps the answer is just around the corner. Who has not heard of the new ChatGPT software? It does amazing things. What if I could just prompt ChatGPT to write my devotion. Perhaps it could do a better job than I could.
But you also must have heard about the strange behavior many have experienced with such software. What if ChatGPT came back with lavish promises as long as you depart from the life of an honest, godly person? What if ChatGPT dares you to break the Ten Commandments – one by one? What if that “life” behind your screen suddenly asks you to follow a different god? Perhaps ChatGPT even thinks it is the one ChatG-O-D.
Pastor Peter, after explaining in his email the difficulty with continuing devotions, concluded: “I need to make some changes.” Oh, no, that sounded ominous. He must not be first to explore the use of that software. I will be the first one to do that!
ChatGPT, I want you to act as a storyteller. You will write a Devotion that is engaging, imaginative and captivating. The audience is the Prince of Peace congregation in Roseville, MN. Base your writing on Matthew 25:31-46. But if that does not work, then just write an educational story from your own life. Try to capture people’s attention and imagination. My first request is “I need an interesting story for tomorrow elaborating on our constant need for education and the value of education throughout life.” Stay tuned.
Let us pray:
God please let us all continue to use our brains and bodies to create original, beautiful material for enjoyment by all. Let us write books, create music, make sculptures and so much more. Let us not defer to a computer to take away our creativity.
Previously…
Taking the Bus
My brother Eric has been active in local politics in his community for a while. A few years back he decided to step up and serve as an elected representative to his city council. Eric really seems to enjoy this work of helping his local government be a positive force in the lives of his neighbors. And he is well aware of the messiness of political work, often confronted by competing interests.
Home is…
Until I was 30, the longest I had ever lived continuously in the same house was about four years. Since then, I had a couple of longer stretches. The longest I’ve called a place “home” was the nine years we lived in a “temporary” apartment while I was completing seminary, trying to sell my business, and hoping to go into full-time ministry. My sense of “home” has never been rooted in a particular structure.
The Master
I have a lot of experience traveling. Decisions and preparation are always first. It’s exciting to consider the destination and what to do when you are there. Booking transportation and lodging are somewhat less exciting, but no less essential for a family.
The Fearful Servant
One of the reasons I am an English teacher is that I find language so fascinating. I work primarily with advanced students, so much of the vocabulary work is very nuanced. Why do we talk about superior workers instead of supreme workers? Why is information generally positive when it is revealed, but negative when it is exposed?