Even a pickle glows!

John Ortberg, in his book, God Is Closer Than You Think, makes a wonderful point about being empowered by God. He brought an electrical engineer to church to conduct an experiment. "We turned off all the lights, hooked up an ordinary pickle to some wires, and then passed an electrical current through it. The pickle glowed! It gave light to a room. Many people believe that the flow of the Holy Spirit is reserved for spiritual giants. but, throughout history God has caused His power to flow through the most unlikely people; a prostitute named Rahab, a con man named Jacob, and a cheat named Zacchaeus. So the next time you're feeling inadequate, remember that even a pickle can glow if it stays plugged in to the flow of power."

Representing Christ is a high calling for which I often feel only marginally qualified, if at all! Paul's words, "who is equal to such a task?" (2 Cor. 2:16) are words with which I can easily identify. How can I, a man so prone to failure, even hope to help others find the new life that the Word calls us to live? When I stop to think about the privileged responsibility that is mine to stand before a congregation to teach God’s truths, I am quickly sobered. But, I also know this: When we come to the end of ourselves and acknowledge the persistent power of sin at work in us, we are in the place where God can use us. Yes, the Word says 'when we are weak, He is strong!'

Just before He ascended to Heaven, leaving a little group of all-too-ordinary people to carry on the work of the Kingdom, Jesus promised, "I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high." (Luke 24:49, NIV) Luke continues the story (Acts 2) telling us that a few days later, the Holy Spirit flowed into that Upper Room and rested on those men and women in a life-transforming way. Were they made perfect in that instant? Hardly. In Acts, which tells the story of the first generation of Christians, we read of their disagreements, watch them work through misunderstandings, and cringe as they deal with sin. Through it all, we see them filled with God's power, again and again. Because of the Spirit's power, they turned the world upside down in a generation!

Christianity has not survived for 2000 years because of the greatness of Believers, but because of the faithfulness of God.

Are you feeling a little overwhelmed by life today, wondering if you’re up to doing anything useful for the Lord? Have you failed Him in some way? Are you discouraged by what appears to be more problems than answers, more need than resource?

Remind yourself to remain totally dependent on His power and see what He will do with you. Before you give in to that temptation to quit, find some time to get alone with the Word and wait on the Lord. Those first disciples had to wait in the Upper Room for days. God, the Holy Spirit, came in HIS time, not theirs!

Remember, even a pickle glows when it's plugged into a current.

Here's a word from the Word to keep in your mind today:

"Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.
God can do anything, you know-far more than you could ever imagine or guess
or request in your wildest dreams!
He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit
deeply and gently within us.

Glory to God in the church!
Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!
Glory down all the generations!
Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes! "
(Ephesians 3:19-21, The Message)