‘I’ve got the Power’ sang Snap, in their hit from January 1990. Well … we certainly didn’t have the power on Thursday evening. For about two hours we had no power which affected a huge area of 63 different postcodes and took out the mobile networks too. I went out to find a signal on my phone and it was very strange. There were no street lights, no traffic lights, no shop lights – no ambient light at all. I hadn’t expected it to be so dark outside with no light. It was very odd. As the evening wore on, I noticed how quiet it seemed to be too. I decorated the room I was in with battery operated fairy lights and a camping light. I am sure all those affected had their own way of ensuring they could see their way around the house or the streets as they walked home. I suddenly realised how reliant I am on having electricity power. No TV or playing on the Xbox. Not having enough light to do anything other than read my kindle which has a backlight screen and games on my phone which thankfully had a full charge.
I believe, as a Christian, that God is with us all the time. Through the good, the bad and the ugly times, God’s power and love and mercy and grace is available to us whenever we. God’s power is not going to cut out at any point. God being with us as we journey through life is a comforting thought given all that is going on in the world at the moment. It doesn’t mean that bad things won’t happen to us, but that we are not alone. For God is with us.
I arise today through God’s strength to pilot me;
God’s might to uphold me,
God’s wisdom to guide me,
God’s ear to hear me,
God’s word to speak for me,
God’s hand to guard me,
God’s way to lie before me,
God’s shield to protect me afar and anear, alone or in a multitude.
St Patrick.