We had a storm rip through our community (actually a good part of the central and southern Indiana) yesterday that took its toll on trees, sewers, businesses and…power.   I was visiting a family who had just lost their husband/father in the morning when the rip roarin’ storm came rumbling through.  Earlier in the morning about 5:00 or so I stood helplessly watching hail the size of peas come down but this one was a real gully washer.   Since riding the bike was out of the question (momma didn’t raise no idiot) I decided to head home and eat lunch, put ice on my back while watching a movie.  All went according to plan until about 5 minutes into the movie when poof!  it was all gone.  No power.  It made a couple of vain efforts to come back on but finally gave up the ghost.  So I sat in darkness eating my lunch with ice on my shoulder.

Strange how much we rely on power.  We take it for granted.  I recently read Terri Blackstock’s Restoration series in which all electricity was gone. All modern conveniences worthless. The people had to learn survival on the basics.  (I suggest you read it for yourself).  It is strange how much we rely on power and don’t even realize its availability until it is taken away.  Even stranger (or is that sadder) is how Christ-followers forget or ignore the power available to them in the Person of the Holy Spirit.  In many cases, we can call Him the Forgotten One.  We like to talk about God. We love to talk about Jesus.  But somehow the Holy Spirit gets lost in the shuffle.  If I had a dollar for every time I tried to do something in my own power I could retire and live off the interest.  Zechariah 4:6 says, “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” Jesus told us He had to go before the Spirit could come.  Many live powerless lives because they have not released their hearts to the ONE who is the power.

How about you?  Do you live in the power of the Holy Spirit or under your own? More to come on this topic in the near future.