My New Apple Watch

January 11, 2026
 
Reflections from the Heart of Allan Redenius
Isn't it funny how you can remember some things?  I remember my grandfather telling me that if I became a preacher, he would buy me a gold watch.  Well of course, I, now being a preacher, and he, not being around anymore, I had to buy my own gold watch.  Now, after 20 years or more, my trusty gold watch finally quit telling time.   As with any broken watch, it was right two times a day.  After its final tick-tock, I put it in the drawer thinking to myself I can live without a watch.
 
As the story unfolds, I went for my annual health physical several months ago.  Historically, I have a low heart rate.  So, if you see me get up fast from a chair and start stumbling around like I'm dizzy, it's because I am.  It's something I've learned to manage over the years without medication.  But while undergoing my physical, my doctor said to me about my low heart rate, “You should really buy an Apple Watch.  It will monitor your heart rate.  It will even set off an alarm if your heart rate is too low.”  Being a good patient, I went off to the store and bought an Apple Watch.
 
Now I've been thinking about this Apple Watch alarm that might go off if my heart rate slows.  What if I'm already unconscious when the alarm goes off?  What if my heart rate is zero and the alarm goes off?  What good is that?  Is my watch going to sound the alarm and say, “Looks like you might be dead.  You better think about waking up.”
  
Actually, I like this Apple Watch.  It tells me the number of steps I have walked during the day, how many calories I've burned, and then realizing that I am woefully lacking in exercise, it will even measure my mood.  My mood, after seeing my lack of activity, is usually that of depression. 😊  What it doesn't do is tell me when I am happy.  That makes me depressed.
 
In the end this Apple Watch is just a gadget.  It doesn't tell me the important thing of life, and that is my relationship with Jesus.  I pray that if I had a watch that measured such a relationship that it would always be showing a glass filled to the top.  How is your relationship with the Lord these days?  Is your glass only half full?  Work at trying to draw closer to God and He will fill your cup, even pressed down and heaping over.
 
Time to go!
Pastor Allan
 
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