Our power was out for a week in the aftermath of Helene. My husband and I, and of course Jake, our Great Dane shared our space with my daughter and her boys whose neighborhood in the North Carolina foothills was hit harder and also at times with my son’s family who lives locally but was without power as well. We spent a lot of time outdoors for the health of the children and the sanity of the adults. The weather was fair and even on the cooler side compared with recent end of summer temps. Our generator powered necessities like the refrigerator freezer and the hot water heater. My gas cooktop was fully operational once the pilot was manually lit and we even had a few outlets powered for the coffee pot and microwave in rotation along with ports for charging our phones.
Since gas stations were closed and the few able to open had long lines, we gave the generator a break in four hour increments during the day while we were outside and no one was opening and closing the refrigerator doors. Still for the first three days, we automatically reached to switch on the lights anytime we entered a room. I was tucking in two of the grandchildren on the evening the power came back on. The generator was still chugging away outside the garage but suddenly it wasn’t as pitch black in the upstairs room. The nightlight in the corner was glowing brightly and it took me more than a minute to register. We had power! My first thought was to praise God and thank Him for the linemen and crews out clearing roads and restoring power well past dark. I prayed silently for their safety and continued success until I was certain both babies were sleeping, grateful that no upstairs lights had been left on before the storm. A blast of LED would surely have awakened the toddlers. I tiptoed downstairs to find my husband powering down the generator and we stood for a moment together just being grateful.
Once the power was restored, my daughter and I noticed an interesting phenomenon almost at once. We walked in and out of rooms without reaching to switch on the lights as we entered. Here we were, power restored, squinting in the dark. We looked at each other knowingly on several occasions before one or the other of us laughed aloud and went to switch on the lights. We had become so accustomed to functioning in the half light of lanterns or filtered sunlight that we just went comfortably about our business in semidarkness. It had only taken three days to stop reaching for the light.
It frightens me to think how quickly and easily I’ve become accustomed to spiritual darkness as well. I’ve never been one to watch television so not turning on the set is no real sacrifice for me. I do enjoy a movie or miniseries with my husband but having small children in the house again has made me more aware of just how much of what we watch gets filtered by my brain until I think of my grandchild seeing or hearing it. I keep my radio in the Lolly bus set to SXM The Message and everyone knows not to mess with the dial. In fact, all six presets are tuned to its frequency. I read strictly nonfiction when I have a moment to myself, having discovered long ago that stories have more power to shape my thought life than I like to admit, but especially now, I am cautious even with children’s books as the prevailing cultural norms are liberally portrayed even in board books.
It’s not bad, we think. No, but it’s not good either, and by good I mean Godly. Is it Biblical? Scriptural? Does it teach, encourage, or represent Absolute Truth? Our brains are the most amazing super computers, able to synthesize and store with only a glimpse, and it is virtually impossible to un-see something. It does matter immensely what we scroll, stream, or otherwise ingest, even in micro-tidbits throughout the day and night. If there’s time to reach for your device, then you also have time to screenshot or jot down a Bible verse to memorize. In the time it takes to look up and prepare a recipe from Pinterest or while doing laundry or taking a walk, you could listen to a chapter or two of the Bible, listen to an encouraging podcast or some worship music. Imagine your kids or grandkids seeing you doing these things routinely instead of reaching for your phone or the remote. Imagine them singing along to lyrics that, though they don’t yet understand, bring a smile to the face of God who created them. Does it seem bizarre to consider God at every moment of every day? It shouldn’t because it’s why we exist.
“They asked Jesus, “Do you hear what these children are saying?”
“Yes,” Jesus replied. “Haven’t you ever read the Scriptures?
For they say, ‘You have taught children and infants to give you praise.’”
Matthew 21:16 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/mat.21.16.NLT
Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never harm me is certainly untrue, as I have distinct memories from early childhood that still surface during sleepless nights and stressful situations.
“But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak.”
Matthew 12:36 AMP
https://bible.com/bible/1588/mat.12.36.AMP
If we will give an accounting for every idle, empty word we’ve spoken, how much more so a remark aimed to sting? So how can I be more intentional with my thoughts and words? How do I guard my heart and mind? How do I function in a culture akin to Babel, Sodom and Gomorrah, Babylon, and Noah’s time pre-flood? How do I maintain a Christian worldview when everyone everywhere makes it their business to tell me what I should think? I once heard a pastor say, “If you only have time to read one book, it had better be your Bible.”
“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”
Psalms 119:105 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.119.105.NLT
“Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life.”
Psalms 119:104 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.119.104.NLT
“Guide my steps by your word, so I will not be overcome by evil.”
Psalms 119:133 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.119.133.NLT
“Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”
Proverbs 4:23 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/pro.4.23.NLT
“I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Psalms 119:11 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.119.11.NLT
When asked about the greatest commandment, “Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, and with every thought that is within you.’
This is the great and supreme commandment.
Contained within these commandments to love you will find all the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.””
Matthew 22:37-38, 40 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/mat.22.37-40.TPT
Before he went to the cross to accomplish for mankind what we could never gain for ourselves, Jesus prayed, “I have given them your message and that is why the unbelieving world hates them. For their allegiance is no longer to this world because I am not of this world.
I am not asking that you remove them from the world, but I ask that you guard their hearts from evil, for they no longer belong to this world any more than I do.
Your Word is truth! So make them holy by the truth.
I have commissioned them to represent me just as you commissioned me to represent you.
And I ask not only for these disciples, but also for all those who will one day believe in me through their message.”
John 17:14-18, 20 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/jhn.17.17-20.TPT
“Your eternal word, O Lord, stands firm in heaven.
Your faithfulness extends to every generation, as enduring as the earth you created.
Your regulations remain true to this day, for everything serves your plans.
I will never forget your commandments, for by them you give me life.”
Psalms 119:89-91, 93 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.119.89-93.NLT
“So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.
But don’t just listen to God’s word.
You must do what it says.
Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.
For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.
You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.
But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.
Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”
James 1:21-27 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/jas.1.21-27.NLT
The devil is prowling around like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour because he knows his time is short. Do you?
“So teach us to number our days, That we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.”
Psalm 90:12 KJV
https://bible.com/bible/1/psa.90.12.KJV
“Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”
Psalms 90:12 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.90.12.NLT
“Help us to remember that our days are numbered, and help us to interpret our lives correctly.
Set your wisdom deeply in our hearts so that we may accept your correction.”
Psalms 90:12 TPT
https://bible.com/bible/1849/psa.90.12.TPT
By all means, do your job to the glory of God, as unto the Lord. Raise your family. Feed the hungry. Show mercy. Care for widows and orphans. Study to show yourself approved, a workman who needs not be ashamed, rightfully handling the Word of Truth. Be a good citizen by honoring your leaders and caring for the earth but do it all for the right reason, because it’s been entrusted to you by God. Can you afford to waste another minute on anything that is not Jesus? I know I can’t.
“And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.”
Philippians 4:8 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/php.4.8.NLT
“Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.
Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.
Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.
His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:4-7 NLT
https://bible.com/bible/116/php.4.4-7.NLT
“You are my refuge and my shield; your word is my source of hope.”
Psalms 119:114 NLT
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