When was the last time you dealt with a power outage? Many times it comes during a storm where lightning strikes a power line, a transformer, or even a specific house. The communication lines are down and neighborhoods go dark. Usually in areas where a quick front or storm came through, work crews are able to get to the site of the problem quickly and repair what wasn’t working. We cheer out loud or silently in relief, when we hear and see things click back on.
Perhaps some of you have been part of an outage that lasted much longer. Maybe a hurricane came through, an earthquake, or even civil unrest. Those situations become more emergent as an interruption to basic survival needs for an extended period of time leaves people stressed, uncertain, and even fearful. Food starts to spoil, clean water runs out, safe areas now feel unprotected, and getting from place to place becomes laborious without fuel or electricity for transportation. That’s not including the storm destruction left behind. It’s why people from out of the area, watch the news in horror as regions under distress are shown in images across the screen. We rush bottles of water, diapers and clothing to rescue workers who are able to get in to the affected area. We give donations for food, medical help and pop-up housing. No power in the midst of destruction is a deep, dark mess.
Without power, in the midst of any part of our life, leaves us wringing our hands as we try to keep calm, uncertain of what to do next. Coal, sun, wind, or other resources are giving us a way to plug in in the physical world, but we also have a spiritual need to plug in to a greater, sustaining power for our soul. We can feel ourselves cracking when we are lacking in this area.
Ephesians 3:14-19 from the NIV reads as below:
“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”
I have read that part about “how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ” many times before. I took comfort in that poetic phrase of deep love God has for me. But I missed something. In the phrase right before it, Paul the writer says “I pray you may have power to grasp…”.
When someone tells you “Jesus loves you!”, do you ever think, “well thanks but how does that help me feed my children today”? Knowing in our minds is different than the grasping in the depths of our spirit. “Grasping” means to hold on tightly. In order to hold on tightly to the understanding of this love we need POWER.
If we go back in the beginning verses we see where the power comes from. First, we have the Father and his all his great resources who gives the Spirit to you which strengthens you in your inwardly and then Christ can live in your heart through faith. The Three in One, God the Father, Son and Spirit, HE gives you this ability to power up.
….To walk through the storms with love in your heart.
…To look at the destruction and still find peace.
…To have enough strength to take care of the people around you even when its hard.
Plugging in to this power means searching for connected and grounded outlets.
- Find a Bible-believing church with a community of people who care for each other
- Read a devotional that you can subscribe to or pick up at a library or book store
- Join a weekly Bible study or small group where you can struggle through scripture together and build deeper relationships
- Set aside time for focused prayer with God
Power outages happen suddenly. Life gets stormy sometimes. Take comfort that God’s power is your power. When your tower is struck, plug back in. He is always in service.