THE AGE OF BIG DATA: BEHOLD GOD THE FATHER OF DATA ANALYSIS

Since we live now in the Age of Big Data, I think it is logical to also talk about God, whom I sometime refer as the Father of Data Analysis.

Over a decade ago I had a spiritual encounter through the vision of the night which seemed so terrifying and untellable for me to describe in clear language. And a decade down the line, the experience still remains fresh in my memory.

Yes, it is the Age of Big Data. Everyone talks about it.

According to Wordweb dictionary, Data is defined as collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn…

Edwards W. Deming is referred as the father of Data Analysis and also as the father of quality management who is often quoted for his evergreen quote: In God we trust, all others bring data.” Edwards Deming was so much involved in the economic reconstruction of post-World War 2 and had the fundamental philosophy that data measurement and analysis were very germane to attaining superior performance in every aspect of business. I think this fundamental principle of his is also applicable to our personal lifestyle (s).

You remember how Data function?

Have you ever thought of the reason behind so much emphasis on the role of Data Analysis in Data collation? Because it is insufficient to gather data without data analysis. It is deficient to have so much information without knowing how to break them into an understandable pieces and solution-focused objectives that could inform relief and effective result at the end. Big Data has been playing a huge role in things we do and how we do them; business, education, management, Sales, Marketing and advertisement, etcetera; but how does the Big Data revolution encourages us think and see our life beyond just things we do and how we do them, unto focusing on WHO DO THEM? How should we see in the Age of Big Data for the betterment of our personal life without losing a touch of supernatural?

Data play an important role in our world today, and so is Data Analysis; hence the reason for us to get intimate with the Father of Data Analysis.

According to a finding by Pew Research Center survey, quite a number of people feel overloaded sometimes; tensions come to play when institutions place high information demands on people. In our daily work life, society often lays a level of demands on us, couple with Data from other areas of our lives. Sometime while at work we simultaneously think about our children, our spouses, our future; how to be a better a parent, a better husband and wife, a better friend and neighbour, in such a way that it begins to bring distraction and in return affect our Inner Peace. We think about our worlds so much that we assume things that are not working in them as we would have desired simply means our world is crumbling and falling apart. We load so much Data into our minds much more than it can process per time. We get ourselves so overwhelming that we forget there is God, Father of Data of Analysis who is closer to us than we could imagine.

In my spiritual experience of over-a-decade ago, one thing became clear—the fact that I couldn’t say any word of prayer immediately after that event. When I tried to gather myself together and pray, I was short of words of expression and articulation concerning the things I really wanted God to do in that situation. I knew I wanted to speak to God about it but my mind was devoid of expression. And that is one of the banes of having too much data without the intervention of God the Father of Data Analysis. Having too much on our minds with no foresight of clear expression can be very frustrating. This was my experience.

But how did I know God as the Father of Data Analysis?

Prior to this event, I had an idea of God as the One who wants to listen to me [only] when I have something to say. I have read and heard from different clergymen that “if I will receive answer for my request to God, I must learn to speak to Him in a clear language; that I must learn to speak to Him in clear terms, in proper articulation.” But this experience taught me otherwise. I saw a God who was more interested in seeing me expressing myself to Him more importantly than how I express myself. I saw a God who wants me to come to Him and express my feelings, my pains and agony in any way I could. I discovered a God on whose shoulder I could lean and shed my tears. Since he Himself is a Father of creation, He is never afraid of the babbling of His creatures. Since He is the Father of Data Analysis, He is never afraid how much Data you bring to Him, He will take care of it.

I strongly believe the One who says, “Come now, and let us reason together…” couldn’t have been afraid of “illogicality”.

Lessons Learnt from Jesus

Knowing that being engrossed with so much sometime is common to all men, brought to mind the experience of “blood and tears in the Garden of Gethsemane”. Looking at the things he may have to suffer and endure, Jesus Christ was also filled with agony and so much pain that could have been too much for him to express to anyone. But throughout that experience, even though he may have to express his pains through “sweat blood and tears”, he was never ashamed of running towards the One who was able to help him through that moment. Jesus Christ in his humanity was like each and every one of us who had so much ahead of Him to be dreaded of; his passion for his Father’s business, putting his family together as one body, fulfilling his mission of the kingdom among others, but he was never afraid of allowing God to take it over from him. He gave an opportunity for the Father of Data Analysis to process his data for him. Do you also dread of your marriage, business, ministry, or the unknown days ahead of you? Put it on God and let Him take care of it.

Free your mind of how you are going to tell him, just go ahead and push it on Him; your pain, agony, confusion, ailment of any kind: push it on Him. He is the high priest who can sympathise with [Y]our weaknesses.

“Cast all your cares on Him, He cares for you.”