Monday I kept an appointment for the angiogram the cardiologist had prescribed. (Relax – everything is clear in my “pipes.”)  To save Luana the time of having to take me all the way back to Malcolm, I contacted Pastor Heath to see if he was in Lincoln.  We made connections at Sam’s about 11 a.m.

 PH had a couple of errands to run, not the least of which was a stop at the Interstate store possibly to buy a new battery for his Jeep.  A nice young man used his tester to determine that the current battery, which was in the vehicle when Heath bought it, was not holding a charge.  He did more than that.  His practiced eye told him that the battery was not only a used one (that’s what the label “Econopower,” or whatever it was, meant), but it was also undersized and under “amped” for that vehicle.  Who knew?  The kid then proceeded to draw the equivalent of 20 starts from the offending energy source, rendering it even more useless.

 Of course Pastor Heath bought a new battery of the correct size and cranking amperage.  Like a good steward of his resources, he decided he’d save the $20 fee for installation on the spot, opting to do that himself.  He paid for the battery and put it behind the driver’s seat.  We both climbed in and buckled up.  He turned the key, and nothing happened.  Wait a minute, something did happen – a rapid clicking noise that indicates a dead battery emanated from under the dash, or somewhere up front!

We looked at each other and burst out laughing.  Here we were at the Interstate store with a battery that had practically been pronounced DOA by the EMT.  Then we’d watched him literally suck out with his little machine whatever life remained.  We had the new battery in the car, but it wasn’t in a position to do any good.  What were we thinking!  

 That’s probably what the Interstate guy thought when he came out at our request and supplied enough power for the start.  He laughed along with us, but it may actually have been at us.  I’ve laughed about it myself several times since.

 It’s no laughing matter to find yourself short of energy in the spiritual sense.  Oh sure, each of us believers in Jesus is indwelled by the Holy Spirit, and He provides the power not to sin and to live pleasing to God.  But sometimes we fail to maintain the connection, and when we do that, a variety of things can drain the vitality right out of us even while we watch, so to speak.  As we noted in connection with Daniel’s prayer of confession last Sunday, “If we say that we have fellowship with God and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin…If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (I John 1:6-7,9)  

 There is no substitute for keeping short accounts with God and with each other.  There is no substitute for maintaining the connection.  None of us wants to turn the key when we really need the power only to hear that clicking noise. 

 May our Heavenly Daddy bless you a bunch this fine day.  And, remember to be a blessing to at least one other person.