Social networks are hot! MySpace, the world's sixth most popular Web site, has over 200 million accounts. Facebook ranks number seven in the world with more than 58 million active users, and that number is doubling every six months. Since January, Facebook has averaged 250,000 new registrations every day.

Two years ago billionaire investor Rupert Murdoch paid $580 million for MySpace as part of a $1.3 billion Internet acquisition spree. Last year Facebook received another $25 million in venture capital. Last month search leader Google released its own set of common application programming interfaces (APIs)—called OpenSocial—to ensure interoperability with other social networks such as Bebo, Orkut, LinkedIn, etc.

Here in the Philippines Friendster is the most popular Web site, even topping Yahoo.com. Multiply is the sixth most popular Web site here. I have accounts with both—although I haven't updated my profile in a long time. Only recently I started using Facebook. In just a few days I reconnected with some "long-lost" classmates from college whom I haven't seen for more than 10 years!

Technology can be a wonderful thing. Social networking sites are helpful, keeping us updated with the lives and activities of family and friends. That's what they're designed to do—to expand our horizontal network. Hypothetically, we can keep adding "friends" until they number in the tens of thousands, many of whom we will know only superficially.

However, there is one relationship that social networking sites omit. That is, the vertical relationship with our Creator, our Father, our Friend. To build an authentic, real relationship with God, we have to seek Him off-line.

Unfortunately, many find it altogether easy to neglect time with God. We probably spend more time on Facebook, Friendster or Multiply than we do reading our Bibles. The biblical prophet Jeremiah wrote: "Can a virgin forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? Yet My people have forgotten Me days without number" (chapter 2:32, emphasis added throughout).

The most valuable contact we can have in our social network is not an ordinary human being, but God—the All-Powerful Creator of the universe. Read the poetry:

"Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
"Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
"Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
"But let him who glories glory in this,
"That he understands and knows Me" (Jeremiah 9:23-24).

Do you believe in God? Can you demonstrate or prove His existence? Can you come to know and understand Him? Can you really find Him?

A genuine relationship with God doesn't just happen. It's not as easy as "poking" God and adding Him to our friend list. We need to seek Him intently, purposefully, earnestly, by doing something some of us might find nearly impossible: turning off the computer. Then we can find a private place, get on our knees and just talk to God like we're talking to our best friend. He is our Best Friend—our Top Friend! He cares for us and loves us and has the POWER to help us more than any human being ever can or will!

We need to spend the time with this Friend. Listen intently as God talks to us through the pages of His Word. Hear Him tell us about Himself, His profile, His wisdom.

Read "The Most Powerful Friend" to see the real value of knowing God's profile.

God is never off-line, never on vacation. He is always there for us, even when the Internet connection is down. VT