True Power

Read Psalm 66:4

“Keep on traveling on. Keep on . . .” sang the sanctuary choir. They had just sung the first five words of their Sunday evening concert when everything went dark. All power was gone. Well, not all power. Not true power.
The choir kept singing. Flashlights were found to shine on the chorale as they sang their entire repertoire without accompaniment. Midway through the concert, the director asked the congregation to sing along. It was goose-bump time as God’s name was lifted high in that darkened church. “Hallelujah” never seemed so heavenly.
When I read the above story, it reminded me of a phrase that I heard in Bible College. It was, “Power cannot go from the rushing water to the high tension wire without first going through the power house.”
I am sure, as any group would, before the concert; everyone had worked hard to make sure all the electrical equipment was working. There were probably sound checks upon sound checks. Lights were triple-checked to make sure everything was operating at an optimum level. However, I think that the best thing that may have happened was for that power to go out. As a result of a lack of natural power, God’s power was highlighted. God’s light, not electric light, shone through. Jesus was praised. It was probably not the ideal situation, but because God was present, there was more power present than ever needed.
Sometimes our plans break down and our efforts fall short. When things happen that we can’t control, we must “keep on traveling” and remember where the real power for godly living and true praise comes from. When our efforts falter, we need to keep praising and lifting up Jesus. It’s all about Him anyway. God’s great power deserves our grateful praise.

“What is a soul? It's like electricity - we don't really know what it is, but it's a force that can light a room.”
- Ray Charles