Offering it up

Lightning struck a power pole less than 100 feet from our building last night. The transformer was annihilated, the pole was split, wires came down and landed all over cars, siding and glass blew off the closest house to the pole. Nobody was hurt, so (not minimizing the repairs to the house) it was a very exciting and thoroughly satisfying five minutes of BAMMMBABOOMbzzzzzzzhissssssss.

We all came to our balconies and patios and chatted, watching other people work harder than us, firemen and the utility company.

Then the terrific heat wave we're in started asserting itself. No wonder people are shooting each other in the poor parts of the big city. I lay in bed, radiating heat, too hot to sleep, watching the emergency mars lights strobing across the ceiling and listening to the repair workers pounding, drilling, buzzing, whacking, sawing and yelling at each other. I finally talked to the Lord and offered the whole sweaty experience up for the sake of those poor people who live that way all the time. So of course I then dozed off. The power came back on about seven hours later.

So many people misunderstand the verse from Romans: "...all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." They think Christians are saying that death and pain and discomfort are good. No! They are not good, but they humble us, drive us to our knees in supplication, and attach us more firmly to the Lord, dependent on His Help and seeking to learn and follow more closely His Will.