Guided thoughts, V

One of the things that we often take for granted in our lives today is light, or specifically, electricity. In the area where we live, there passed many years where peeps in the city had lights and power, and in the rural areas, people still utilized lanterns, oil, and candles. (Grin) Yes, I do live at the edge of the world.

As late as the mid 1930's there would only be one out of ten rural homes that had electricity. The farmers milked the cows by hand, and their wives cooked on wood stoves and washed clothes on a wash board in a tub or kettle! Seriously. Water was pumped by hand and carried to the house, and kiddos did their homework by the light of a kerosene lantern. That was the way of the world in the county that I live in.
Enter the electric cooperative. As a result of FDR establishing the Rural Electrification Administration, farmers and businessmen formed groups to get power to folks who didn't live nearby the existing power lines. That was important, because it just didn't work for the regular power company to do it....they needed many customers per mile of line, where in the countryside, there might be just one or two customers per mile of wire.

the people living in darkness    have seen a great light;on those living in the land of the shadow of death    a light has dawned. (Matthew 4:16) 

Some of the old-timers who live near me tell stories of what it was like to finally "flip a switch" and have a light come on, or a new electric stove heat up. Imagine how exciting it would be, if all you knew was the lantern or candle, or adding wood in the side of the wood stove to bake a cake or cook a meal! All of the neighbors gathered around to see the miracle, and then rushed to sign up with the electric co-op, so that they could have the benefits of electricity, too.

There is a Light, and a Power available to us, that is just that exciting, but we might not spread the word as we ought to.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

The Lord is my light and my salvation—    whom shall I fear?The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

We have access to His power -- the power of the Creator God:

But God made the earth by his power;    he founded the world by his wisdom
    and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar;    he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth.He sends lightning with the rain    and brings out the wind from his storehouses. (Jeremiah 10:12-13)

Trust in the Lord forever,    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. (Isaiah 26:4)

Just as the neighbors crowded into the newly electrified house, eager to learn and see more, so people are hungry today for the good news of the gospel of Jesus. Are we eager to tell? Do we try to find opportunities to speak a word for Him?

Oh, I pray that we'll be just as excited about what God has done for us, in saving us, and in what He is continuing to do for us today -- excited enough to tell the world!