Without Power
The St. Louis Area recently experienced one of its worst winter storms in history, and it wasn’t even winter yet. The ice and snow caused power outages for around 500,000 people while experiencing temperatures that dipped into the single digits. Our home happened to be one without power. The first night we lost power in the early evening and we broke out the candles and flashlights, went to bed feeling confident we could cope with this adventure. The second night we brought in wood for the fire place, piled on the covers and woke up the next morning to a very cold house convinced that we needed to make other arrangements for the next night. We packed up our stuff and moved to warmer lodging for the next two nights until our power was restored. We were more fortunate than many who returned home to remove limbs from damaged roofs and repair broken pipes in a flooded house.
Paul prayed for the Ephesians to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, but he also warned them not to grieve the Holy Spirit. As great as it is to have this great power, how devastating it must be to stop experiencing that strengthening within. What is it like to lose that power? It may be similar to our going four nights without electricity. It starts with confidence that you can make it on your own, and then you begin to realize that your house is no longer retaining the heat. And finally without power your house becomes so cold that you can no longer stay where you are. And what causes that power outage? The storm of sin separates us from the power source. The solution, of course, is to restore power.
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. (Eph 3:16-19 NIV)
David Bearden
Paul prayed for the Ephesians to be empowered by the Holy Spirit, but he also warned them not to grieve the Holy Spirit. As great as it is to have this great power, how devastating it must be to stop experiencing that strengthening within. What is it like to lose that power? It may be similar to our going four nights without electricity. It starts with confidence that you can make it on your own, and then you begin to realize that your house is no longer retaining the heat. And finally without power your house becomes so cold that you can no longer stay where you are. And what causes that power outage? The storm of sin separates us from the power source. The solution, of course, is to restore power.
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. (Eph 3:16-19 NIV)
David Bearden
posted by David Bearden @ 5:42 PM
1 comments
1 Comments:
Isn't amazing how the "bad" things that happen to us in life, teach us about God's providence? I have always wondered how the Apostle Paul felt when he was on a mission of God and the ship he was on sank in the ocean? I think most of us would be shouting, "Lord, what are you doing to me?" Being without power has certainly given you an insight in the nature of the kingdom. Thanks for sharing David.
Someday, I hope that we will get others to join in these discussions!
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