You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, because You created all things, and on account of Your will they came into existence and were created. Rev. 4:11.
In December of every year we receive a free calendar in the mail. The calendar contains pictures of local scenery and is nicely laid out. But its primary purpose is not to let us know what day it is. The calendar comes from the Cook Nuclear Plant, located about 10 miles to the west of our home. The free calendar seeks to make sure that every resident of the area knows the signals and the evacuation routes in case of a nuclear accident.
The plant nestles between sand dunes and the shore of Lake Michigan. Deep within its core is enough nuclear power to incinerate most of the county in which I live. To make matters worse, the prevailing wind blows directly from the location of the plant to the neighborhood where I live. I find it sobering, therefore, that the nearest evacuation bridge (to escape toward the east) is a mile closer to the plant than my house is. Potentially, that could be a most deadly mile.
The reason we have to live under such a shadow is our society's massive need for electricity. Life as we know it would not exist without it. Imagine having to preserve and cook food, bake and toast bread, or wash clothes without electricity. Without it the clocks, the water heater, the furnace, the lights, and the air-conditioner in my house would not function. Just about everything in today's world that enhances human comfort requires electricity. Anyone with electricity is infinitely richer than someone without it.
To put it another way, many of us have become totally dependent on the electricity monster. And perhaps such dependency isn't such a bad thing. God has designed a universe in which every part must rely on other parts. The trees absorb our exalted breath and give us oxygen in return. Certain birds enjoy the food crawling on the backs of rhinos, giving the lumbering creatures relief from bugs and a comforting back scratch! The atomic and subatomic particles of the universe exist in intricate relationships with each other. Humans depend on plants and animals for their food, and we are all dependent on our Creator.
Jesus was the greatest human being who ever lived. Yet even Jesus depended on His Father for guidance and direction (John 5:19; 8:28). In His humanity He would rise each morning before sunrise, go off by Himself, and pray to the One who had sent Him (Mark 1:35). Although He came down from heaven, He did not rely on Himself. So remember that you are not a generator--you are a receiver and retransmitter. God is the great power source of the universe. Plug in and turn on the lights!
Lord, I am reminded of my dependence on You. Use me todayaccording to Your will.
In December of every year we receive a free calendar in the mail. The calendar contains pictures of local scenery and is nicely laid out. But its primary purpose is not to let us know what day it is. The calendar comes from the Cook Nuclear Plant, located about 10 miles to the west of our home. The free calendar seeks to make sure that every resident of the area knows the signals and the evacuation routes in case of a nuclear accident.
The plant nestles between sand dunes and the shore of Lake Michigan. Deep within its core is enough nuclear power to incinerate most of the county in which I live. To make matters worse, the prevailing wind blows directly from the location of the plant to the neighborhood where I live. I find it sobering, therefore, that the nearest evacuation bridge (to escape toward the east) is a mile closer to the plant than my house is. Potentially, that could be a most deadly mile.
The reason we have to live under such a shadow is our society's massive need for electricity. Life as we know it would not exist without it. Imagine having to preserve and cook food, bake and toast bread, or wash clothes without electricity. Without it the clocks, the water heater, the furnace, the lights, and the air-conditioner in my house would not function. Just about everything in today's world that enhances human comfort requires electricity. Anyone with electricity is infinitely richer than someone without it.
To put it another way, many of us have become totally dependent on the electricity monster. And perhaps such dependency isn't such a bad thing. God has designed a universe in which every part must rely on other parts. The trees absorb our exalted breath and give us oxygen in return. Certain birds enjoy the food crawling on the backs of rhinos, giving the lumbering creatures relief from bugs and a comforting back scratch! The atomic and subatomic particles of the universe exist in intricate relationships with each other. Humans depend on plants and animals for their food, and we are all dependent on our Creator.
Jesus was the greatest human being who ever lived. Yet even Jesus depended on His Father for guidance and direction (John 5:19; 8:28). In His humanity He would rise each morning before sunrise, go off by Himself, and pray to the One who had sent Him (Mark 1:35). Although He came down from heaven, He did not rely on Himself. So remember that you are not a generator--you are a receiver and retransmitter. God is the great power source of the universe. Plug in and turn on the lights!
Lord, I am reminded of my dependence on You. Use me todayaccording to Your will.
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