Power Poles With a Purpose

My first reaction was frustration. All this beautiful scenery to photograph, but every opportunity was spoiled by a crisscross of electrical wires. Mile after mile of telephone poles and power lines.

“I wish I could make them all disappear,” I muttered to my hubby as we drove north toward our wilderness cabin last month. Then I laughed. They would disappear soon enough. Our cabin is some 20km beyond reach of a telephone pole. There we have to depend on our generator if we have a temporary need for electricity.

Normally we’re pretty self-sufficient. We use kerosene lamps, candles and flashlights for light, and wood or propane for cooking. We carry water by bucket from the creek and climb the hill to the biffy when required. The conveniences we take for granted at home aren’t considered necessities on vacation. Only in perceived emergencies do we yank the generator into action – when the babe’s feeding pump needs recharging, or my laptop dies while I’m writing to a deadline. The men occasionally use it to power a skill saw for a building project when the chainsaw is too big and the handsaw too small.

This periodic dependence reminds me of my relationship to God. It’s so easy to take his presence for granted, knowing He’s there if I have a particular need, but ignoring Him when I don’t. It’s not a deliberate snub, just an unawareness of the role He wants to play in the ordinary aspects of my days.

Immersed in a church-dominated lifestyle it can feel like I’m walking the right path, even if I’m not conscious of God’s presence. But I’ve learned it’s possible to drift beyond the vital connection I need, leaving Him just out of arm’s reach while I rely on my own abilities. That’s usually the time my internal battery subtly begins to lose its charge… when enthusiasm declines and I start feeling overwhelmed by responsibilities and schedule-itis.

God is always there when I call upon Him, but I sometimes wonder if he resents being yanked into action only when I have an emergency. How much better it would be if I maintained a steady moment-to-moment connection with Him, allowing His power to constantly flow into and through me!

Next time I’m tempted to resent all those unsightly overhead wires I’ll remember they have an important purpose, conveying electricity across the country to those in need of it. They’ll also serve as a personal reminder of Him who is the provider of all power and source of my strength.

Have you ever resented something that ended up being good for you?

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“God is my strength and power: and he makes my way perfect.”
(2 Samuel 22:33, KJV)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Carol J. Garvin is the wife of a retired Presbyterian pastor, mother of four and grandmother to several more. Her life has been a wonderful mixture of school teaching, church and family activities, owning a professional dog show business, and freelance writing. She and her husband live in a rural suburb of Vancouver, Canada.

Blog: http://careann.wordpress.com/
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Twitter: @caroljgarvin