Powerless

"you shall have no power"

Leviticus 26:37

We got a notice about a week ago, from our power company, that we were going to lose electricity.  From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., which is a long time to go without power.  My apologies to those who are currently without power due to the massive snow storm on the northeast coast of the US. 

Did you know they are naming winter storms now?  Like hurricanes.  Which makes a certain amount of sense, I guess, but it's hard for me to take seriously a storm named "Nemo".  I know they're probably paying homage to the hero of Jules Verne's Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, but honestly, it just makes me think of a clownfish. 

Photo credit: ultimatereviews.co.uk

Anyhow, our power outage was a "planned outage" which meant that the electric company had to do some repairs, so they were going to be turning the power off anywhere between 9 and 4, or as early as 9 until as late as 4, or maybe that whole time. 

You get the idea. 

And this was going to happen on a Tuesday, which was really  a pain in the neck  somewhat inconvenient for me.  I was going out Tuesday evening and I had several things I had to prepare.  I was going to need my computer ~ which has a battery, but it's unreliable, so I can't be sure how long the battery will last when I'm not plugged in to a power source.   Also I needed the printer, and that doesn't have a battery at all. 

So I had to get completely ready the night before.  I had to figure out my priorities, do the things that absolutely had to be done.  I had to be as prepared as I could.

And then, when the day came, I carefully went through my adapted schedule.  I had planned some things that had to be done, but that could be done without electricity, so I started those promptly at 9 a.m.

But here's the thing:  the power never went out.  I had prepared; I was ready.  I kept thinking, "any minute now...."  But it never happened. 

We got a notice a few days later that they had rescheduled the outage.  So I can still look forward to an afternoon of living like the pioneers, but at least it won't be a Tuesday.  That's something. 

It felt good, that Tuesday, being completely ready.  I'm not really a procrastinator, but when I plan things out, I plan based on the full amount of time I have.  In other words, I don't generally plan in such a way as to be ready early.  Or, not more than a few minutes early. 

But I was able to do a few extra things, because I was so prepared, so I made good use of that extra time.  And I got to thinking about the benefits of being prepared.  I thought about what God has prepared for us...

Matthew 25:34 ~ "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of the Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."

John 14:2 ~ "In My Father's house are many mansions... I go to prepare a place for you"

... and about our being prepared for Him...

1 Thessalonians 5:2 ~ "For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night"

1 Thessalonians 4:16 ~ "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God"

A notification to be ready is a warning.  We can consider ourselves warned.  But He's a God of promises, not just warnings.  The blessings are prepared for you.  So get ready, and stay ready.

~ "God is my strength and power,

and He makes my way perfect" ~

2 Samuel 22:33

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