Really, Eskom, one has to be extremely patient working with you. But my patience is wearing thin by now! My work, like that of many other South Africans, come to a stop when there is no power in the wires. But there is no time for sitting back and relaxing.

One more interruption of the power supply forced me to go the hardware store. The salesman wanted to know what I wanted to use the generator for. I said: Well, just to run our two computers with all the screens if there’s another blackout. There was a cute little orange generator, 1KVA. This is sufficient for what you need, said the salesman, and I went back home with a brand new generator. I wanted to say something about Eskom to my wife, but I let it go.

Not much later the battery packs of the computers, oven, alarm system and so on announced that Eskom had left the room. I got up purposefully and switched off the mains. With the second pull the generator kicked into life. I must say, I was a little surprised. I plugged one end of the extension into the generator and the other end into the plug in the garage. I switched on the power and light switches on the mains. The little generator gave a roar or two and then continued running smoothly.

I went back inside the house and was quite surprised by all the appliances served by that little generator: two computers, five screens, TV, fridge and 14 lights! That little generator did its job! I could hardly believe that the little machine could do so much.

After two and a half hours of load shedding I went back and switched off the generator, and as I was wiping it with a cloth I caught myself talking out loud to the little machine: “Wow, pal, I didn’t really think you would be able to do all of that. You carry a big punch.”

Why did I tell this story? Because the author of Ephesians says that we also have a bundle of power inside us: 19-21 … oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust Him—endless energy, boundless strength! All this energy issues from Christ: God raised Him from death and set Him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule.

Wow, the same power that pulled Jesus from the depths of death is in us as well. But when I look around me, however, I don’t see much of God’s power shining through his children. Actually, it looks rather dark around me, as if Eskom is imposing load shedding again. And I wonder why this is so …

Maybe it is because we do not even realise that we are wonderful orange generators that can switch on the lights in the world. The world is dark. It’s night in the world. It hurts and there is a lot of suffering and people bump into one another. They trample and walk over one another. And actually, we have the power to switch on the light.

Herein lies the challenge. Give yourself a pull or two so that you can make visible the power generated by Jesus. Open your eyes and see the darkness around you. Go and find the places where Jesus’ power is needed. Allow them to plug into you and may others then say about you: “Wow, pal, I didn’t really think you would be able to do all of that. You carry a big punch.”

Scripture

Ephesians 1:15-23

Reflection

Do you believe in Jesus?

Do you believe that the power that brought Him from death is in you as well?

Who can you go and help with their load shedding?

Prayer

Our Father, how amazing You are. You give us all the power we need to make an enormous difference in the world, but we don’t even realise it. I ask You respectfully, Father, to give us a kick or two, so that we can start running and supply power to the dark world out there. Amen