May We SEE You as our Power Supply

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus”. Philippians 4:19

“Mom, I only have 22%!!! I’ll never make it! What am I going to do???”
My son had forgotten to charge his school ipad the night before. He has been amazingly responsible with charging it each night, but on this particular night he simply forgot. In a typical day he comes home with 35% battery power left. Obviously, starting with 22% was not going to cut it. He plugged it in that morning, but we had to leave the house in 25 minutes and it would never charge that fast.
We got in the car and he had 41% battery life. “Mom, what am I gonna do if it runs out? How will I get everything done? Will I get in trouble?” My boy was bordering on full blown panic. “Sweetie, all we can do is pray and ask God to help you get through today. We can ask Him to let 41% be enough and He could do that, but if He doesn’t, He will still get you through the day.” My son, looked less than thrilled with my advice, but resigned to the situation, we prayed.
As I drove away from the school, I tried to prepare myself for the Bible study I was going to. I started going over the lesson in my head, and praying for the morning, but I could not stop thinking about my son. Worry crept into my heart and “helicopter mom” started to make her voice known. “Should I email the teachers? Should I take him the external charger thing my dad gave us? Should I pick him up early?” Thankfully, the still quiet voice of the Holy Spirit made itself heard over my anxious thoughts; “pray and trust” is what that voice said. “But God, it’s an ipad…can I pray about an ipad?” In light of the crazy big problems going on in this world, I felt somewhat ashamed praying for an ipad. “Pray.” I felt the word again in my heart.
“OK Lord. I am so embarrassed to pray this prayer right now. Christians are facing persecution and death today, terrorists are engaging in acts of pure evil, families are saying goodbye to loved ones. There are people who need You in such huge ways today, and I am sorry to ask you this, but could you provide my son with enough battery power to get him through the day. Will you power his ipad and let him SEE You in this day? God, I trust that you can, but even if You don’t, please give him the strength and courage he will need to endure the day. Thank You for listening to my prayer and for caring about what concerns each of your children.”
My heart was suddenly and completely at peace. God had replaced my anxiety with the peace only He can give. I went about my day, had a sweet morning of Bible study and went that afternoon to pick up the kids from school. As soon as I saw my son, I asked him how the ipad did. He looked at me and smiled a triumphant smile, “I still have 35% left! I used it all day, but I only used 6% of my battery! I guess God answered that prayer!”
I was dumbfounded. I mean, I knew God could but I wasn’t sure He would. I was so thankful to my God who simultaneously cares for the hurt, the sick and the dying, and boys who forgot to charge their ipad for school. What an awesome and personal God we serve. My son got to SEE God in a huge way that day, and God set the stage for me to SEE Him in an even bigger way days later.
Two days later, I sat at the table trying to focus on my quiet time. I was exhausted, had a lesson to finish writing, another to start, volunteering commitments at school, a kitchen to clean, several errands to run, and to make matters more fun my allergies were in overdrive because of pollen. “God, it is 8:00 in the morning and I feel spent. There is no way I can do all that I have to do today. I am tired and sick and just want to crawl back in bed. How am I going to accomplish all that is set before me? Lord, I feel like I didn’t get charged last night.”
That’s when I remembered! “Wait! Lord, you kept my boy’s ipad running all day even though it was only at 41%. Would you help me run all day even though I feel depleted already? God, I can only do this if You supply the power and strength I need. Here is my to-do list. Please, enable me to complete it in Your power and strength.”
Ok, here’s the amazing part: He did! I got more done that day than I have ever done before. He filled me with Himself in such an amazing way. Not only did I get done everything on my to-do list, but because He is the God who “fills my cup to overflowing” I got extra things done. God provided the circumstances for me to get two things done that day that I had been putting off for weeks. I felt energized and strengthened. He made my 41% enough that day. I couldn’t wait to share the news with my son. I thanked him for providing the circumstances which led to me getting to SEE God as my power supply.
I know there will be days when I am just worn out or sick and not be able to complete the items on my list, but I have also learned that I can trust God to provide for my every need; whether by giving me the energy I need or by providing the rest I need.
He has shown me that He cares for each one of us personally. He knows our hurts, our fears, our dreams. He will provide rest when we need it and energy to accomplish what He sets before us. I don’t have to fear not being enough, or having enough, because My God is all I need.
May you SEE Him as your power supply today and trust Him to provide exactly what you need when you need it.