Power Supply

As I write this, we have just come through (or been passed over by) Hurricane Ian. We were fortunate, with damage limited to scattered fallen branches and a wee bit of rain, but others weren’t so lucky. We continue to pray for the devastated communities near Fort Myers, Florida.

But even though we suffered very little, much of our area is still without power. My daughter’s family was at our house all day yesterday because they had no power and the grandkids were desperate for the Internet. (My daughter was desperate for air conditioning). My son, who lives nearby as well, was and still is worried about the tropical fish in his aquarium, which also holds his prized eel. We’re praying the eel makes it. (Update: though the eel was without oxygen for four days, he’s hanging in there.)

We lost power for about 18 hours, but we have a generator, so after thirty seconds it kicked in and we barely noticed the lack of power. And this morning, as I sat down to write this blog, I thought about how a generator is a lot like the Holy Spirit. In a world filled with darkness, when others are frantic with fear and uncertainty or desperate for connection, we who have Jesus also have the Spirit, who keeps us going with confidence and plenty of light. Darkness can be scary, but a single light bulb can chase away the deepest gloom.

Because those who believe have the Spirit and His light, we do not need to fear–ever. Or anything. Death, cancer, darkness, uncertainty–I know we all have that dry-mouthed terror when we are first faced with these things, but always remember–you have a generator. Move past that all-too-human thirty seconds of terror and rest in the Spirit. God is always, ALWAYS, in control. He cannot be surprised. Your calamity is not beyond His power. His love and concern for you has not diminished in the least. Your home–and health–in heaven is as sure as the sunrise.

Your friends and family who do not believe do not have this assurance, so be patient with them . . . and when the time is right, share the Good News with them. The Spirit is available to anyone who surrenders their life to Jesus.

I used to say “anyone who believes in Jesus,” but the word believe has too many shades of meaning in English. So let’s go back to the Greek.

I “believe” in the president–in Greek, I noticia believe in him because I know he exists. I’ve seen photos. It’s an intellectual belief.

Depending on which year you ask, I might have assentia belief in the president, meaning I believed in him enough to vote for him. I agree with what he stands for.

But if I were taken hostage by a group of terrorists, do I have fiducia belief in the president? Do I believe he would send a SEAL team to save my life? Nope. I don’t have enough belief in the president to put my life in his hands. He doesn’t know me. He certainly doesn’t love me.

But Jesus? I noticia believe in Him; I know He existed. There’s a historical record.

I also assentia believe in Him; I agree with Him that I am a sinner and need His mercy and the salvation He provided on the cross.

And I fiducia believe in Him enough to surrender my life into His hands. He knows me . . . and despite knowing what a sinner I am, He loves me. That’s the belief that saves. That’s the belief that brings the Spirit of God, and generates the power to live a confident, secure life.

If you don’t already, you can have this power and this security. All you have to do is fiducia believe.

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Angela Hunt

Christy-Award winner Angela Hunt writes for readers who expect the unexpected in novels. With over five million copies of her books sold worldwide, she is the best-selling author of more than 165 works ranging from picture books (The Tale of Three Trees) to non-fiction books, to novels.

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