April 29, 2014
Power Surge
We have motion sensor
lights in our backyard and we also have a neighbor cat that strolls around at
all hours of the night. Normally a cat’s character is one of superiority, so I
can just imagine him strutting around in power and authority every time he sets
off the lights. I’m reminded of James and John’s indignation toward a Samaritan
village that didn’t welcome Jesus because he was going to Jerusalem. Sensing an
untapped source of power they ask Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to call fire
down from heaven to destroy them (Luke 9:54b NIV)?” We’d
like to think we wouldn’t have had such a response, however, the more we mature
as believers, the more likely we are to test the power available to us through Christ
— and we’re not immune from having a power surge of our own.
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1 comment:
Gail;
-----That’s probably why we don’t have much power to effect the physical aspects of our lives. We see everything in such summarized lumps. James and John saw only the Samaritan village’s refusal to receive them. They didn’t see all of the different hearts there. They didn’t see everything of concern to each of every person there. They didn’t see the people who would have gladly received them in spite of what the neighbors and village leaders thought. They did not look compassionately upon the stresses and risky situations of the people who would have gladly received them but for the social pressures of the more foolish. It’s a good thing we don’t have the power to call fire down from the heavens.
-----But what we do have is the power to influence and inspire. Most people know in their heart of hearts when they’ve blown it. Though it may be a nearly imperceptible reflection of a hint, when a graciously fitting response is directed back at someone’s error, that hint inside the deep heart receives the response as a strengthening companion. Though the shallow heart remains a tempered shell, the power of truth and love seeds an inward growth which will lead to either repentance or judgment, whatever the person’s will determines to make of it.
Love you all,
Steve Corey
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