Lesson in Trusting His Heart

I had such a great lesson from God last night. It involves electricity (power) and how God just wants me to have pure motives.

I was leaving the house at 5:30 to go meet some friends for dinner when the power went out. I went on to meet my friends and called the house a few times from the restaurant to see if the answering machine picked up so I would know if the power was back on or not. Finally about 7:30 the machine picked up. I got home at about 8:40-8:45, changed clothes, started the lawn sprinklers in the front and back yards and made myself an ice cream cone. I get all settled on the couch and "click" no electricity. I sat in the dark and finished the ice cream. No lights. So I stumble around with only the light from my cell phone and find the lighter and start lighting candles, find the flashlight I just bought a few weeks ago, and find my last electricity bill. I call them and get an automated response that it will be repaired at 11:00. Two hours....I can deal with that. I went outside to move the sprinklers and my neighbor was out so we stood out there and chatted for 30 minutes and saw the electric company truck go by. She was a little drunk from her birthday dinner so we were cheering for the truck. I go back inside and 11:00 comes and goes and no lights. So, I call them again. They say it will be up at 1:00 a.m. I say my second round of prayers for God to get it going because I can't go to church if I don't have electricity. (My garage is detached and there is only the main door to get in and out. Without electricity I can't operate the garage door opener. Therefore, can't get my car out to go anywhere!) I prayed for God to get the lights back on so I can go to church. I was mad at him cause it was hot in here! :) I try to sleep. It's starting to get hot in the house. Remember this is TEXAS........ TEXAS = HOT!!!! It was triple digits all day long.

I wake up drenched in sweat at 1:00 so I called them again and this time I get no confirmation of a repair time. I prayed again and explained to God how my motive to go to church is a good thing, therefore, He ought to honor it and turn the power back on. I got up to open all the windows and lay back down with a bottle of ice cold Diet Lipton Mixed Berry Green Tea on my chest......... amazing how something so simple can cool you down when you are in sweltering heat! Anyway, I am trying to sleep and I see lights outside. The power company is working on the pole in the alley behind my house. I watched them for a while and the guy up in the bucket working on the pole is hitting the line that runs into my house. I realized how dangerous his job it. I began to pray for the 3 men who are out there working to have wisdom to find the problem and especially for their safety. I feel God telling me to take them something cold to drink so I get up and throw on a pair of shorts and take them all a bottle of cold water. I chatted for a minute and one of them tells me that they can't find the problem but know it's not in this pole and they will have to move on down the street a way to get it going. I told them to be safe and that I appreciate their hard work in the middle of the night and went back in the house.

Within 5 minutes the lights came on! Lesson: God wanted me to pray for others and not for myself. It is a good thing to want to go to church but it's more important I put others first in all things. Less of me and more of Him. I heard a sermon on the radio the other day that talked about expecting more of ourselves and less of others as a way to live. I guess I was supposed to hear it because God used it to teach me a valuable lesson on one of the hottest nights so far this year! I'm sorry by neighbors had to sweat for hours while God taught me a lesson, I owe them a barbecue or something!

God is good!