Black out

My family and I were driving along Yonge Street in the late summer a number of years ago. We had noticed that the traffic lights weren't working. That was normal, happens every now and then. When we arrived at our destination, the glow in the dark mini putt place at Yonge and 16, they were closed because there was no electricity. Strange, we thought. As we drove farther and listened to the radio, we realized that it was not just this block in Richmond Hill that had no electricity. It was the whole of northeastern Ontario and parts of the U.S.A. It was the blackout of 2003.

It wasn't long before I realized there wasn't much to do without electricity. I heard stories of neighbors bbq'ing together for the first time. The skies were lit up by the stars, radiating with the lack of artificial light. I got a chance to have some time off reflecting on scripture while there was still light out. I don't think I was 'ready' for the blackout. I don't think Toronto was either.

We don't realize how much we've taken for granted or what we've neglected until we are forced to stop, or in this case, when the lights go out. We're always running around with our busy lives in front of us. Often times, I find this is how God works too. Whenever I get too comfortable and I start to take for granted what He has given me, I get a reminder of exactly who is in charge. Sometimes it takes big things to happen in our lives before we realize how little control we really have.

*rebecca

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When we lost power during the blackout caused by the Americans, I was at home with my dad. He didn't know how long the blackout was for so he told me not to waste any candles or flashlight batteries. I grudgingly agreed and for a while, we sat at the kitchen table quietly. I complained about having nothing to do, got bored and kept questioning the circumstances I was put in. My dad listened at first and then he got mad because I was being such a baby and we both complained. After a while, we sat silently, tired from all the whining. I realized I hadn't spent much time with him in so long even though we were under the same roof so we resolved our minor differences and chatted for the rest of the evening.

Often times, God will take something away from us because He desires to show us something better. It's never something we can give up easily - it's always something touchy. When it happens, we question our faith, a lot of darkness is revealed in our lives and we spend so much time focusing on hoping for better circumstances. Often times, our faith is shaken and we turn away. However, there are the odd times when we get to a place of brokenness and begin to have a deeper understanding of the following statement:

'God is most satisfied in us when we are broken before Him. He is most able to teach and mold us, and fill us with His simple promises when we have nothing else to hold onto.'

*sam