Fear Not! Have Faith In God’s Great Power

 

The Bible shows us that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. This is especially true surrounding the birth of Christ. We can take heart from the example of those involved in Christ’s birth that if God calls us on a special mission, we need not fear. Instead, we must have faith in His infinite power, which is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians.12:9). Without Him, we can do nothing, but with Him, all things are possible (John 15:5; Mark 10:27).

Sometimes He lets us go through trials, tribulations, doubts and fears to realize how completely we depend on Him (Philippians 4:13). If we stop depending on our flesh and turn it all over to Him, resting in His grace, His power, and His will, He will use us to accomplish great things to His glory (James 4:6; 1 Peter 5:5). But if we are fearful or doubtful, that is a sin for which He must chastise us, for without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11:6).

As born-again believers, having placed our faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we have no reason to fear. God is always with us (Hebrews 13:5), protecting us from all our enemies, physical and spiritual (Romans 8:31). He has won the victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:57); He prepares us for the battle; and our home is with Him in Heaven (Deuteronomy 31:8; Joshua 10:25; Isaiah 41:10; Joel 2:21).

In Scripture, God said “Fear not” to those He had called on a special mission for which it would be natural to be afraid in the flesh. Usually these words are spoken by an angel, or sometimes by God Himself, as when God promised to make Abram the father of a very great nation (Genesis 15:1), and to spare Ishmael’s life and to make him the father of a rival nation (Genesis 21:17).

In the events surrounding the birth of Jesus, angels appeared to several of those most involved -- Zacharias, Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds -- and told them to “Fear not!” It is a natural reaction to fear in the presence of one whom we recognize to be an angel, for they are holy and we are not, and we may fear bad news, punishment or even imminent death.

Like Abraham and Sarah, Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth had been faithful to obey and serve God, yet they had no children. Having no child in those days was a great cause for sorrow and grief, as there was no heir -- no one to carry on Zacharias’s calling as a high priest. Women were defined by their role in raising children, and every Hebrew woman in that day dreamed of being the one who would give birth to the promised Messiah (Isaiah 9: 2,6-7).

The angel appeared to Zacharias while he was alone in the Holy of Holies performing his priestly duties, and told him to “Fear not.”  At a very old age, Elisabeth would give birth to John the Baptist (Luke 1: 5-13) to show the way to Christ. How often might angels be around us, trying to tell us something or asking us to do something for God, or even ministering to us, without our being aware of it?  (Hebrews 1:14).

Even though the angel brings good news, Zacharias is afraid, which is the typical reaction of those recorded in Scripture as being visited by angels. These messengers of God reflect His holiness and command respect and fear of the Lord by sinful man.

Zacharias had not been afraid to pray for what seemed impossible in the natural, and God answered that prayer far beyond what they could imagine. Not only would they have a son, but one who was highly respected by Jesus the Messiah Himself (Matthew 11:11).and who would turn many to the Lord (Luke 1:16)

If we have faith, He always answers our prayers beyond our wildest dreams! (Luke 1:14-15; Ephesians 3:20). Zacharias and Elisabeth are a perfect example of never losing hope, never stopping to pray the prayer that is most dear to your heart even though it seems God doesn’t hear it, because He will do what is best in His perfect timing. The special blessing God gave this couple echoes His fulfilled promise to Abraham and Sarah, who were old and barren and yet parented a very special child: Isaac, who became the progenitor of the great nation of Israel.

The angel said that Zacharias and Elisabeth’ son John would be filled with the Holy Spirit even before birth (Luke 1:15). Killing an unborn child is therefore murder, because John’s body was already the temple of the Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19) even before he was born.

John’s abstaining totally from alcohol and being great in the Lord’s sight are mentioned together (John 11:11,18), as a result of him being filled with the Holy Spirit even before birth. Alcohol and the Holy Spirit don’t mix, as you can’t be Spirit-filled and drinking alcohol at the same time (Ephesians 5:18).

John’s role would be that of a prophet, calling God’s people to repentance and obedience, to soften their hearts to hear Christ’s message (Luke 1:16-17). Because he was Spirit-filled, he was a great soul-winner.

Despite Zacharias’ lifetime of priestly service, and being described as “blameless,” he doubts the angel’s news of John’s birth. He lacks the faith to accept that God can accomplish this miracle in His perfect timing (v. 18).   

Because of Zacharias’ unbelief, the angel Gabriel told him that he would be mute until the birth, as if God would prevent him from voicing his unbelief (v.19-20), and also to strengthen his faith. But even without speech he was able to be a testimony of God’s goodness and power (v. 21-22).

His time as a priest was now over, and he turned his full attention to God’s new direction for his life (v. 23). We need to be responsive to God’s will and recognize when He has a new plan for our life, even if it means giving up a ministry or position of honor.

God’s promise, delivered through the angel Gabriel, came to pass and Elisabeth became pregnant (v. 24). She hid herself for five months (v. 25), perhaps because she wanted to be alone with God to meditate on His goodness, to thank Him, to worship Him, and to seek His direction for her new role as mother of John the Baptist.

When God says “Fear not,” we can trust Him to equip us for the mission He has given us and have faith that He will keep His promises!

© 2013 Laurie Collett
Reposted from the archives

Flowing Triplets: Let Your Light Shine!

 

Flowing triplets of God’s love, lightand living water describe His divine nature and bathe His children in His grace, 

holiness, and salvation.

God’s first recorded words were “Let there be light,” (Genesis 1:3). Light was and is essential to provide the energy to sustain all of His subsequent creation. Light and other forms of radiant energy flow continuously from the sun and other stars, traveling faster than anything in our known universe at the speed of 186,000 miles per second. Light travels in the form of a wave, much like waves we see in the ocean, but the frequency of the sine wave is so high that our eyes do not perceive the waveform.

Based on frequency, light can be divided into the visible spectrum, infrared radiation, and ultraviolet radiation. White light is composed of three primary colors: red, blue, and yellow, which when mixed together in pairs give rise to the secondary colors (purple, green, and orange). When we see a rainbow, the symbol of God’s promise never again to destroy the earth by flood (Genesis 9:13-16), we perceive it as having predominantly three bands corresponding to the primary colors.

Like matter, light and other forms of energy cannot be created or destroyed, because God spoke all that is into existence by the words of His mouth over the six days of His creation (Hebrews 11:3; John 1:3). However, Einstein’s famous equation involving only three terms showed us that energy and matter can be converted into one another. Energy equals matter times the speed of light squared, which is a number so large it is difficult to even imagine (448,900,000,000,000,000 in units of miles per hour).

Light on earth comes from the sun during the day, and from the moon and stars at night (Genesis 1:16), and all these praise the One Who made them (Psalm 148:3). God created these heavenly lights to give signs of His power, seasons varying in temperature and in earth’s growing cycles, and markers of time in days, months and years (Genesis 1:14).

God has used celestial lights for visible and prophetic signs of His majestic power, as in the sun standing still to aid Joshua in battle (Joshua 10:12-13), the blood moon to signify tribulation (Joel 2:31; Acts 2:20; Revelation 6:12), and the star directing the wise men to the Christ Child (Matthew 2:9). In the Great Tribulation, God’s judgment will be evident as the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven (Matthew 24:29).

The sun and moon illuminate the first heaven (Genesis 1:17), or earth’s sky where birds fly; the stars brighten the second heaven of outer space, and Jesus Christ, the bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16), lights up the third heaven where God the Father resides (2 Corinthians 12:2). The New Jerusalem will have no night, nor will it need the light of the sun or stars, for Christ Himself will be its eternal light (Isaiah 60:19; Revelation 21:23; 22:5).

The goodness, holiness and power of Jesus Christ, Who is the Light of the world (John 8:12; 9:5; 12:46), shine in and on the darkness of sin (Isaiah 9:2; 60:1) just as the sun lights up our planet. But His followers are also the light of the world (Matthew 5:14) and light in the world (Philippians 2:15), for His light shines through us and reflects from us like the moon reflects the sun’s brilliance. We share with the world the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4).

The prophet Isaiah, inspired by God, commanded the nation of Israel to arise and shine, for their Light would come in the person of Jesus Christ, and the glory of the Lord would rise upon them. That Light would attract not only the Jews, but also the Gentiles, and kings of many nations (Isaiah 60:1-3). That Light would shine with health, righteousness, and the glory of the Lord (Isaiah 58:8).

John described Jesus as the True Light with life that was the light of men, and that shone in darkness; and that lit every man who came into the world (John 1:4-9). The transfiguration of Jesus, in which His inner circle of Peter, James and John witnessed the brilliance of His glory, was described as His face shining like the sun, His clothing white as the light, and the voice of His Father speaking from a bright cloud (Matthew 17 1-5). This glimpse of Christ in His glory reminds us that He is clothed in light, honor and majesty (Psalm 104:1-2).

Jesus called His followers the light of the world, comparing us to a candle elevated on a candlestick and illuminating all in the house, and telling us to let our light shine before men to God’s glory (Matthew 5:14-16). He told His apostles that while they had His light, they were to believe in the light, so that they would be the children of light (John 12:36).

Because God is light, we should walk in the light, as He is in the light (1 John 1:5-7). God’s Word is a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns, and the day star rises in our once darkened hearts (2 Peter 1:19).

Jesus said that if our whole body therefore be full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle doth give thee light (Luke 11:36).

Praise God that He is not only our light, but also our salvation and strength! (Psalm 27:1). He is our light in the darkness of evil, radiating His grace, compassion, and righteousness (Psalm 112:4). Once we place our faith in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6), we have no need to fear, for we shall bask eternally in His perfect light! May His light shine through us!

© 2014 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Looking Back

 

Regrets only clutter the mind and drain spiritual energy, for once we repent God forgives us and forgets our sins (Psalm 103:10-12). Resolutions seem to be a type of foolish vow that may be broken due to our own lack of discipline or an unanticipated turn in events (Deuteronomy 23:21-22; Judges 11:30-40). 

Resting in God is far better (Joshua 1:13; 1 Chronicles 23:25; Psalm 37:7), remembering His faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9, 10:13) and realizing that He is infinitely good and infinitely great (Psalm 143:10, Matthew 19:17; 2 Samuel 7:22; 2 Chronicles 2:5; Nehemiah 1:5, 8:6, 9:32; Job 36:26; Psalm 77:13,86:10,95:3, etc.).

As the moments of 2023 dwindle away, I find myself reflecting on God’s blessings not only this year but throughout my life. Reviewing how God has prepared each of us for our own unique ministries helps us to appreciate how He not only equipped us with gifts and talents appropriate for His calling on our lives (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:13), but that He engineered our trials and even our weaknesses for our good and His glory (Romans 8:28; 2 Corinthians 12:9).

When God uses a timid, stammering man like Moses to deliver His people (Exodus 4:1-13), a disobedient rebel like Jonah to spread revival that saved Nineveh, and even a Christian-persecuting Pharisee like Saul (1 Timothy 1:12-15) to write most of the New Testament, He gets the glory. He operates in the supernatural, and not in the limited plane of man’s abilities or expectations (Genesis 18:14; Jeremiah 32:27; Ephesians 3:20).

Looking back on how this blog came into being, I remember way back to high school when I dreaded the daily English class assignment of “Responses.” Every day, regardless of our mood or the press of other assignments, we had to write a brief essay, poem, or story that reflected our mood, thoughts or circumstances. That discipline, seemingly unneeded at the time, no doubt helped to generate a weekly blog post even when I am preoccupied with life’s distractions.

Decades later, and a few months after I was saved, my husband and I were flying to Japan to perform in dance shows. I was hoping to sleep on the long, crowded, flight, but God laid it on my heart to dig my laptop out of the overhead bin and to write about His omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence. I felt truly foolish as I started this task, thinking that I really knew very little on this subject; that I desperately needed the sleep as we would start rehearsing the day we arrived in Osaka; and that if I were going to write anything, I’d be much better off working on medical stories that were due once we returned home.

But I followed His lead and wrote about His attributes, the words springing to mind and leaping onto the computer screen with surprising speed and clarity. As soon as I had completed the essay, the battery died, and I settled into a peaceful sleep, knowing that I had been obedient in this assignment. Although I didn’t know it at the time, it would turn out to be a trial run for writing blog posts in the still distant future.

In our lives as amateur and then professional ballroom dance performers and competitors, God began preparing my husband Richard and me for our dance ministry long before we were saved. And the variety of beautiful songs we heard in our daily practice later helped inspire me to write Godly lyrics to these secular tunes.

But i might not have started writing song lyrics had it not been for our son Brendan, gifted in piano among his other God-given talents. Shortly after he was saved, he wanted to compete in a Christian musical competition by playing a Chopin prelude. But the rules were that any music played had to have Christian lyrics, so his youth pastor asked if I might be able to write words suitable for singing along with this piano accompaniment.

So I did, marking my debut in writing Christian lyrics, a passion of mine to this day. And when I provided a recording of my singing these words to my son's playing, his youth pastor asked if I could sing specials in church. So God worked these events together (Romans 8:28) for my good and His glory, opening the door for me leading to two new ministries!

One Sunday a few years after I was saved, I prayed my usual quick afternoon prayer to be Spirit-filled and yielded while singing in choir in the evening service. I sensed that God was saying, “Yes, but there is something else I want you to do.” So I prayed that He would reveal it to me, and literally moments later I bumped into the associate pastor in the hallway. He asked if I would consider teaching a weekly ladies’ Bible study class, as their teacher was moving out of town.

Despite my lack of formal Bible training, I agreed, after praying on it. I found that my knowledge and understanding of the Word grew far more quickly and in depth than it would have had I been only a student and not also a teacher (2 Timothy 3:14-17; 4:2). God was and is always faithful to lead me to Scripture verses, sermons, and other readings (including many of your blogs!) to encourage and guide me in teaching and in writing (Psalm 119:11,105).

But the class suffered many setbacks, including illness and trials of several members, and other circumstances resulting in their leaving the class. Some weeks I was teaching only one or two ladies. I became discouraged that the time and effort I was putting into my weekly lessons was reaching so few people and thought that a weekly blog of these lessons might be a way to reach more.

I knew nothing about blogging, but God had equipped me with computer skills needed for my occupation as a freelance medical journalist. As I began my blog on Memorial Day weekend in 2011, I wondered if anyone would read it. But God sent encouragement my way in a strange format – the movie “Julie and Julia,” in which the writer of a daily blog sees no activity or comments on her blog for six months, followed by an exponential and rapid growth in readership.

Looking back on all this, I am thankful for God’s provision, as the statistics, rankings, and followers continue to grow. But it’s not about the numbers, and if seeds planted in this blog lead even one soul closer to Christ, it would be well worth the effort. The blog has taken on a life of its own, covering topics independent of the Bible study class.

The greatest blessing is comments indicating that readers were blessed by the post. I am so thankful for each and every reader, and for the relationships with new and dear blogging friends all over the globe. I pray that God would continue to use me to spread His Word in this way. 

As time went on, my Bible study class again began to grow, not only in numbers but in fellowship with the ladies of all ages. I was thankful for this blessing, but God was leading my husband Richard and me to consider serving at another church. Sometimes God tests our obedience by leading us to a different ministry even when things are going well where we are,

The church we had been attending was about a 20 minute drive, yet every day we passed by another Baptist church just a few minutes away from our home. 

"I wonder if God might be calling us there instead," Richard mused one day. That Sunday our preacher used Acts 1:8 as his sermon text, stressing the importance of first witnessing and serving in Jerusalem -- metaphorically speaking, your own back yard. 

Richard and I sensed that this was a confirmation that we should explore our neighborhood church -- Fowler Ave. Baptist. We first visited on a Wednesday evening when no services were scheduled at our home church, and were blessed by meeting the Pastor, by discussing spiritual matters with him, and by his sermon with a clear exposition of God's Word. 

Shortly thereafter we visited Fowler Ave. on a Sunday morning, praying fervently that if it were God's will for us to serve there, that He would make it very clear to us. As we pulled into the parking lot, the Pastor was just getting out of his car, and he greeted us enthusiastically.

"I know you haven't decided yet whether we should be your church home," he said. "But if you did join, would you be interested in teaching a ladies' Bible study class?"

"Why, yes," I answered in surprise. "Do you by any chance also have any openings in your music ministry?"

"Would you like to sing a special today?" he offered.

As if these signs were not sufficiently clear, our jaws dropped as we entered the sanctuary for the first time (the Wednesday service we attended was held in the Fellowship Hall). There on the back wall of the sanctuary was a huge banner with the full text of Acts 1:8 !

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Could God be any clearer in His confirmation that it was His will for us to serve at Fowler Ave.? We joined a few weeks later, and I immediately started a ladies' Bible study. Praise God, this has grown over time, not only numerically but spiritually. It is such a blessing to teach a class of women so devoted to wanting to know God better, and His plan for their lives, and to supporting one another in fellowship and in prayer.

I am also blessed to have the opportunity to sing a special in most services, including the Christian lyrics I have written to secular music. Richard and I are both blessed to serve in several capacities and to know that we are fulfilling Acts 1:8, not only by witnessing and serving in our neighborhood, but even around the globe, as our church supports about sixty missionaries in foreign countries. Praise God for His direction and faithfulness!

But as 2024 approaches, may we not be preoccupied with the past, but instead live in God's will in the present moment and look forward to His unfolding plan for us. As the apostle Paul wrote:

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

In closing the post and 2023, a New Year’s blessing to all of you:

Philippians 1:2 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.

3 I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

4 Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

5 For your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now;

6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. 

© 2012 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives, edited and expanded 2023

Are You In the Flow? Triplets of Love, Light, and Living Water

 

Photo byUoaei1

Are you “in the flow?” When athletes, artists, or speakers experience a peak performance, they often refer to that as being “in the flow.” All of us have enjoyed those rare days when everything seems to flow smoothly, from not hitting any traffic lights, to finding the perfect parking space, to accomplishing our daily goals effortlessly, joyfully, and without obstacles.

In the Bible, the word “flow” describes an ongoing supply of blessings. The Promised Land flows with milk and honey (Exodus 3:8,17; 13:5; 33:3, etc.), and spices flow from His garden of delights (Song of Solomon 4:16). Waters flow at God’s command (Psalm 147:18) to refresh His people (Jeremiah 18:14), and God’s wisdom is like a flowing brook (Proverbs 18:4) 

When God redeems His people, they will flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil (Jeremiah 31:12), All nations will flow into God’s house in the Millennial Kingdom (Isaiah 2:2; Micah 4:1).

Like all blessings, being in the Divine flow is a gift from God. It results from handing over our cares and burdens to Him (Matthew 11:28-30; 1 Peter 5:7); yielding to His Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:16-19), and trusting Him to work all things together for good (Romans 8:28). Experiencing the Divine flow is possible only for those who are born again (John 3:3-8) by placing our faith in Christ’s death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

God’s Triune nature is reflected in so many aspects of His character, attributes, and creation, as we have discussed before. The Divine flow is also expressed in triplets of love, light, and living water streaming abundantly from His radiant Being. These surround us in a nurturing, illuminating, outpouring fountain of Himself.

When I think of how God reveals Himself through His creation, through His relationship to us, and through the lives of His fully yielded children, a unifying theme is His freely flowing energy that guides us, saves us, and cleanses us. His self-sacrificing love (John 3:16) gives us eternal, abundant life (John 10:10); His Word is the light that shows us the way (Psalm 119:105); and He is the fountain of Living Water Who has forever cleansed us from our sins (Jeremiah 17:13).

Because God is love (1 John 4:8), light (1 John 1:5), and Spirit (John 4:24), we are commanded to walk in love (Ephesians 5:2), to walk in the light (1 John 1:7; Ephesians 5:8), and to walk in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16,25). The Holy Spirit in Scripture is often symbolized by water, as in the rivers of living water that flow from anyone who believes that Jesus is the Son of God (John 7:38).

John the Baptist noted the transition that would occur from his baptizing believers with water to Jesus Christ baptizing with the Holy Spirit. In the baptism of Jesus, He arises from the water as the Spirit descends on Him, the light of Heaven shines upon Him, and the Father announces His love for His Son (Matthew 3:16-17; Mark 1:8-11; Luke 3:21-22).

Before God even spoke His first recorded command, “Let there be light,” (Genesis 1:3), the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters (Genesis 1:2). God described the light and all the rest of His creation as “good,” reflecting His loving nature in designing His creation to be solely good and not evil.

God hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by his understanding (Jeremiah 51:15-16). Although Satan is now the prince of the power of the air Ephesians 2:2), God retains His control over all His creation, including the rain, lightning, and wind (Jeremiah 10:12-13). We have all experienced His infinite power in torrents of rain flowing from Heaven, lightning bolts transforming electrical energy to light, heat and sound, and wind, which, like the Spirit, is invisible but known by its effects (John 3:8).

We appreciate being “in the flow” as we praise God for His power and His wisdom, but especially for His love. We know God only because His love flows from us to one another (1 John 4:7-21), and the world knows we are Christians only when our love flows to them. God commands us to love Him with all our heart, soul, and strength (Deuteronomy 6:5), and Jesus said we are to love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving God means to fear Him, to walk in all his ways, and to serve Him with all our heart and soul (Deuteronomy 10:12). Our faith in Christ leads us to love Him, which leads God the Father to love us as His children (John 16:27).

We cannot imagine the depths of God’s love and the rewards He has planned for us, for they cannot compare with anything we have seen, heard, or longed for in our hearts (1 Corinthians 2:9). When we love God, Who first loved us and saved us, we can experience His love pouring over us like the flowing melody of joyful music. Zephaniah 3:17 tells us that God will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing!

Praise God that His love flows from all three Persons of the Trinity: the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost (2 Corinthians 13:14). Praise God that His perfect love flowing through us washes us from fear (1 John 4:18), bathing us instead in power, love, and a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). May we delight in the flow of His love, light, and living water!

© 2014 Laurie Collett

Reposted from the archives

Preparing for Storms

 

Photo by NOAA 2015

In Florida, hurricane season opened with a bang with the threat of Tropical Storm Elsa, which was upgraded to a hurricane before the winds died down sufficiently so that it was downgraded once again. But in the meantime, our home and businesses lay directly in the projected track of U.S. landfall, where the forecast predicted high winds, incessant rain, flooding, thunderstorms, and possible tornadoes, as well as likely power outages.

So my husband brought in or tied down all outdoor furniture and trash cans, barricaded doors in low-lying areas with sandbags, cleared debris from the parking lot drain, drained excess water from the pool at a rental property, filled up the gas tanks, and lugged a generator from a shed to an overhang near the house, where he got it running so that it could be connected to a freezer.

Meanwhile, I filled any empty spaces in the refrigerator and freezer with water bottles, drinks and bags of ice, and cranked up the dials so that the contents would stay cooler longer if we were without electricity for any length of time. I gathered up the flashlights, batteries, and emergency supplies and strategically placed them around the house where they would be easy to find at night. I filled up the tubs with water and charged our laptops and devices. I even cleaned the house so that it would be ready if my son and his wife, who live nearer to a flood zone, decided to stay with us.

Prayer was the most vital part of our preparation (Psalm 143:1; Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6) – for safety for us and for all in Elsa’s path, for protection of our property and businesses against any damage, and for us not to lose power so that we would not have to stop working or to lose perishable food.

Thankfully, Elsa’s track shifted a little and her strength dissipated before making U.S. landfall. God answered our prayers (Psalm 42:8; 66:19-20; Matthew 21:22) for personal safety and for that of our family and loved ones, for protection against any damage, and even for no interruption in power! (Had that last prayer not been answered, I would not be writing and posting this blog post now!)

The following morning, we surveyed the scene and confirmed that all was well, praise the Lord! We then began the long ritual of undoing all we had done the day before – removing the sandbags, taking the lawn furniture outside, and replacing everything to where it was normally stored. Doing and undoing hard work is never pleasant, but we thanked God for answered prayer and that we were doing that instead of having to deal with repairing damage or potentially even worse consequences.

An unexpected blessing (Romans 8:28; Ephesians 3:20) was that we had a freshly cleaned house and lots of steps and minutes of continuous exercise tracked on our activity monitors!

Preparing for the storm reminded me not only of God’s protection (Proverbs 1:33; 3:23) and faithfulness (Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalm 89:8; Isaiah 25:1; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Peter 4:19), but it also got me thinking about how dependent we are on power to fuel our daily lives. Had the storm struck harder or closer to home, we could have been without light, running water, air conditioning in 90 degree heat and high humidity, refrigeration, flushing toilets, transportation, and Internet or phone communication.

Knowing this, we were highly motivated to do all we could to ensure alternate power sources for these vital needs. But these were a poor substitute for the free-flowing electrical power we normally enjoy, and they would eventually run out.

Praise God, He is the ultimate source of power (2 Samuel 22:33; 2 Chronicles 20:6; 25:8; Job 36:22; Psalm 62:11; 150:1) that never runs out and that created all and fuels all activities in the universe and in Heaven! (Jeremiah 32:17; Romans 1:20). God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). He is the Fountain of Living Water (Song of Solomon 4:15; Jeremiah 2:13; 17:13; John 4:10-11) freely flowing to all who trust in His death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) as the only Way to Heaven (John 14:6).

He is our Sustainer (Psalm 3:5; 55:22; Colossians 1:17) Who provides for our every need (Matthew 6:8, 32; Luke 12:30). He is our Comforter (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7) Who guides us better than any GPS, teaches us more than we could ever learn online, and gives us the words to speak in prayer (Romans 8:26) even when we are cut off from earthly channels of communicating with others.

Just as we repeatedly face physical storms, we must also contend with spiritual storms, for our battles are not against the earthly realm, but against principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high places. But thankfully, we can be strong in God, and in the power of His might. In spiritual warfare, we do not need to barricade our doors with sandbags or board our windows, but we do need to put on the whole armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-18).

When preparing for a hurricane or other danger, it is prudent to prepare (Proverbs 22:3), including putting aside enough water and nonperishable food for our family for at least several days. But God is our ultimate Provider, Who assures us that our physical needs for food, clothing and shelter will be met (Psalm 37:25), provided our first priority is to seek His righteousness (Matthew 6:22-32) through faith in the shed blood and resurrection of His Son (Ephesians 2:5-8).

Even more importantly, He gives us our daily spiritual bread (Matthew 6:11) through His Word, if we take the time to meditate on it daily and to seek His counsel through prayer. He alone can give us the living water that nourishes and replenishes our soul so that we will never thirst! (John 6:35-48)

In today’s developed world, living without power is not only an inconvenience but a potential health hazard and major disruption to our way of life. But we can be so thankful that God’s power is never depleted and is always available to us!

If we experience any sense of ebbing current in our spiritual life, it is not God’s shortcoming but our own. Unconfessed sin (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9), pride manifest as reliance on our own flesh rather than on His omnipotence (1 John 2:16), rebellion against or unbelief in His Word (Hebrews 3:12), or a husband failing to honor his wife (1 Peter 3:7) can all block His light from shining through us and interrupt His power from flowing through us to bless us and those around us.

But if we find our fellowship with God broken because of these sins, all we need do is repent and take the first step back toward Him, for like the Father of the prodigal son, He is waiting to run to us with open arms! (Luke 15:11-32)

As we face life’s storms, whether physical or spiritual, may we rely on Jesus Christ, our Rock (Matthew 16:18) and Strong Tower (Proverbs 18:10), our Sustainer, Comforter, Counselor (Isaiah 9:6), Light of the world (John 1:9; 8:12; 9:5), and Almighty God! 

© 2021 Laurie Collett