It was around ten o’clock pm when the house went totally dark. The power had gone out for some reason. It was an eerie feeling. My first thought was that it must be raining or storming or very windy outside as this is the time of year we get really bad thunderstorms.
To my surprise, the night was quiet. No storm, no wind and the rain was barely a drizzle. I looked out the window and my neighbor’s house was dark too. My son called his friend around the corner, and he didn’t have power either.
Now here comes the part that always fascinates me.
The Grid Left Us in the Dark
My neighbors across the street had power. They are not on the same grid, and it is always strange to look out the window and see light just a stone’s throw away as I navigate through total darkness. My neighbor three doors down on the same side of the street also had power. This whole grid situation is both interesting and frustrating at the same time.
I decided to check the power company’s website to see when the power would be restored. To my surprise, they were not showing an outage in my area. I thought that was odd. Aren’t they supposed to immediately know these things? Isn’t that a core part of this whole grid thing.
Well, maybe not as they do give you a toll-free number to report outages.
The Limits of Human Technology
We have solar panels, but they are, of course, dependent on the grid. To work, they need that connection to the power company to do their job. Got to love that technology.
We also have never purchased a generator for times such as this. Oh well, we just have to wait. Patience is a virtue, so I’m told, as I have none.
Plugging into a Different Source
Time felt like it slowed down as I sat in total darkness just to take a minute to gather my thoughts. The house was so quiet, no hum from the refrigerator, no voices from the television, just silence.
I started turning on my various rechargeable lights and placing them strategically around the house. It had been about an hour or so since I reported the outage so I decided to check the company’s website for a status report. I saw they were investigating the issue and hoped to have power restored between three and six am. It was just after midnight so I decided it was best to call it a night.
As I thought about this situation I reflected on our connection to God and his everlasting light. That took me to the book of John, chapter one, verses four and five.
“In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
An Unbreakable Connection
It’s wonderful to know that in God there is no darkness. To connect to his power, no grid is required. All you have to do is believe and the connection to his light always works. You don’t have to report an outage, check the status of one or hope that the electricity will soon be restored. That’s powerful, knowing in him there is never darkness.
“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 NIV
It is now six in the morning as I’m writing these final thoughts and my bedroom is still dark and quiet. So much for that estimate from the power company!
However, I find comfort in knowing that the sun will soon rise out of the darkness and there will be light in the sky bringing light into my dark house. The electricity estimate is now between eleven am and two pm, but the God I serve will provide the sunlight. It won’t be just across the street or down the street, it will be everywhere.
Thank goodness for the light that never goes out or fails to shine.
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