In the country the power can go out for no apparent reason. You expect it in a storm. Limbs break and fall on power lines. Ground becomes saturated with rain and the trees uproot themselves and fall over, taking the lines underneath with them. Lightning strikes sub-stations and transformers. All of that is understandable. What is not is an outage on a calm, sunny day, something that happens far more often in the country than in town.
When you are not expecting an outage, it can cause problems. I once put a sour cream pound cake in the oven only to have the power go out twenty minutes later. (Yes, the sun was shining brightly.) I needed another 40-60 minutes of 325 degree heat. I was afraid to take the cake out, but unsure how the residual heat would affect the cooking time, nor how the reheat time would affect it when the power came back on.
I decided to leave it in the oven, thinking that it was less likely to fall from that than from suddenly moving it from the oven heat to room temperature when it wasn’t even half-cooked. Two hours later, the lights came on and the oven began reheating itself. I compromised on the time and with the aid of a toothpick was able to find the moment when the cake was done but not over done. It was a little more compact than usual, but it didn’t fall, and it tasted fine.
When you live in the land of unexpected outages, you really appreciate the consistency of God’s power. Eph 1:19 tells us it is immeasurable, which means it cannot be contained and is therefore infinite. Romans 1:20 simply mentions “the eternal power” of God. Whenever we need it, it is there for the asking and nothing can deplete it. Every time I hear someone say, “There are so many others with bigger problems, I hate to bother God with mine,” I wonder if they really understand the “eternal” power of God.
God’s power guards us (1 Pet 1:5); it strengthens us (Eph 6:10; Col 1:11); it preserves us (Psa 79:11); it supports us in our suffering (2 Tim 1:8); it redeems us (Neh 1:10). Paul prayed that the Ephesian brethren would know that power, the same power that raised Christ from the dead (1:19,20) and the same power that can answer any request we might possibly think of (3:20). And, he says, that same power works within us as well.
When the storms of life rage around you, you will not have to worry about the power going out. In fact, that power will be stronger the more you need it. Paradoxically, we are never stronger than when we need God the most because we are letting him take care of things. Counting on yourself is the weakest you will ever be, and that usually happens on the sunny days, the days when life is easy. On stormy days, the days when we finally give up and lay it all before God, the power at our disposal is awesome.
The Light never goes out, or even dims in a brownout, when run by the power of God.
Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies. Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel--he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God! Psa 68:34-35
Dene Ward
When you are not expecting an outage, it can cause problems. I once put a sour cream pound cake in the oven only to have the power go out twenty minutes later. (Yes, the sun was shining brightly.) I needed another 40-60 minutes of 325 degree heat. I was afraid to take the cake out, but unsure how the residual heat would affect the cooking time, nor how the reheat time would affect it when the power came back on.
I decided to leave it in the oven, thinking that it was less likely to fall from that than from suddenly moving it from the oven heat to room temperature when it wasn’t even half-cooked. Two hours later, the lights came on and the oven began reheating itself. I compromised on the time and with the aid of a toothpick was able to find the moment when the cake was done but not over done. It was a little more compact than usual, but it didn’t fall, and it tasted fine.
When you live in the land of unexpected outages, you really appreciate the consistency of God’s power. Eph 1:19 tells us it is immeasurable, which means it cannot be contained and is therefore infinite. Romans 1:20 simply mentions “the eternal power” of God. Whenever we need it, it is there for the asking and nothing can deplete it. Every time I hear someone say, “There are so many others with bigger problems, I hate to bother God with mine,” I wonder if they really understand the “eternal” power of God.
God’s power guards us (1 Pet 1:5); it strengthens us (Eph 6:10; Col 1:11); it preserves us (Psa 79:11); it supports us in our suffering (2 Tim 1:8); it redeems us (Neh 1:10). Paul prayed that the Ephesian brethren would know that power, the same power that raised Christ from the dead (1:19,20) and the same power that can answer any request we might possibly think of (3:20). And, he says, that same power works within us as well.
When the storms of life rage around you, you will not have to worry about the power going out. In fact, that power will be stronger the more you need it. Paradoxically, we are never stronger than when we need God the most because we are letting him take care of things. Counting on yourself is the weakest you will ever be, and that usually happens on the sunny days, the days when life is easy. On stormy days, the days when we finally give up and lay it all before God, the power at our disposal is awesome.
The Light never goes out, or even dims in a brownout, when run by the power of God.
Ascribe power to God, whose majesty is over Israel, and whose power is in the skies. Awesome is God from his sanctuary; the God of Israel--he is the one who gives power and strength to his people. Blessed be God! Psa 68:34-35
Dene Ward
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