I got up early this morning, as is my custom, and turned on the computer. It is easier for me to do my time with the Scripture on the computer because I can make the print large enough so that I don’t have to strain to see the words. I really like leafing through my Bible, but if I do that in the morning I wind up with a headache and I cannot read as much. So, I spent some time on the computer, spent some time in prayer, checked my blood sugar (75) and began to consider my day. My back has been hurting for a couple of weeks now, so I decided a half hour in my recliner was in order. We bought this recliner the week before my heart surgery. I figured that with my heart surgery I would be needing to be in my recliner a lot and I felt a lift chair would help. My old chair was worn out and was a struggle to get out of, so we went to Sam’s Club and bought this one. As it happens, I have used the lift part two times. But, it also has a heated seat and back, which is something I use all the time. So cool! Back hurts? Just sit down, push a button and it reclines, push another and the seat heats for thirty minutes. Really nice. I figured this morning I could afford the thirty minutes of bliss. It won’t recline manually. You recline and adjust it with the controller. I got it just right, got the heater fired up and settled back for a little therapy.

          Then the power went out. Fans went out. Lights shut off. Everything went quiet. Well, shoot, I thought. Better go down and see if the main breaker has gone out. I got the remote and pushed the button to sit the chair up. But, the power was out. It has a battery back-up, but whoever puts batteries in? So, there I sat, needing to get up but unable. My back was pretty sore, so how could I climb out without more pain? Two choices; accept the pain and struggle out or lay there and sweat because there were no fans. I struggled out of the chair, put my shoes on and opened the basement door. I reached around and flipped the light switch. Of course, the power was out. I knew that, but the reality hadn’t sunk in. I went and got a flashlight and went down stairs. Breakers were all good, so it wasn’t just us. Nothing else to do, so I set about getting ready. No shower. The water pump was out. We only had pressure in the lines until it ran out and I felt toilet flushes should come first. I had planned to recharge my phone, but that wasn’t going to happen. Breakfast was not going to be warm. The day was looking pretty grim.

          I figured I could still go to the church and finish my week’s preparations. My laptop has a battery. But, I wasn’t going to be able to send out the blog. (I had another one ready to go. You will get that next week.) I was ready to leave the house when the lights came on, the fans started spinning, the refrigerator started to hum. Whoo hoo! We are in business! The best part of a power outage is when it comes back on.

          Such a relief. I wasn’t looking forward to roasting at the church. I could get the blog out. The rest I had to do could be handled. We depend so much on the power. When we no longer have it, we are lost for a bit while our minds adjust. Life becomes less easy.

          It made me think of Spiritual things. We have a great power in our lives. We can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. It is an amazing thing. Yet, there are moments when we don’t feel that power. Times when we feel powerless and lost. We call out to the Lord and feel nothing in return. No power. We check our Spiritual breaker box and find that all the breakers are set and ready. We fumble around in the dark and finally find a flashlight that can give a little relief, but it is only temporary. We walk into things, we strain to see our way, we struggle as we stumble. Why has the Spiritual power left us? Is God forsaking us? How long can we make our way using our own power and efforts.

          King David felt this when his baby son was sick and dying. Psalm 13:1---How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? ² How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? ³ Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, ⁴ lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

⁵ But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. ⁶ I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

          You can see the despair. He is praying, but the Lord isn’t there! (vs 1) He was trying to figure it out for himself, but nothing. (vs 2) He was desperate enough to grow a little angry with the Lord, even to the point to where he says the enemy (Satan) will defeat him. But then, he takes a moment and reconsiders. Verses 5 and 6 finds this man of God remembering how the Lord has always been there for him in the past. Even in the depths of grief and loss, he can see the Lord. He knows the Lord will be there for him.

          David had been away from the Lord. The ill child was the product of his sin with Bathsheba. He had literally turned off the power switch by his actions. The child died. We are told that he turned back to the Lord. Psalm 30 is the result of that turning back. If you read it carefully you will see it answers all the points of despair in Psalm 13. Psalm 30:1---I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up and have not let my foes rejoice over me. ² O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. ³ O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Sheol; you restored me to life from among those who go down to the pit.

⁴ Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.
⁵ For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. ⁶ As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” ⁷ By your favor, O Lord, you made my mountain stand strong; you hid your face; I was dismayed. ⁸ To you, O Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy: ⁹ “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? ¹⁰ Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!”

¹¹ You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, ¹² that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

          David was a man after God’s own heart, yet the moment came when he willingly turned off the Power. He paid a horrible price, but he came back to the Lord.

          Does it seem as though the power is gone from your life? Do you feel you are just going through the Spiritual motions? Are you wondering where He is? It is not that God has forsaken you. You have forsaken Him. You have done something you reckoned was right or justified but was not right or justified in His eyes. We cannot come into His presence with willful sin in our lives. It is true that Christ died for all our sin, but that doesn’t give us a license to continue to sin. When we do sin, we must turn back to Him.

          Do not do the struggle alone.

          Blessings.