18th June 2025

LOSS OF POWER

A few days ago in the windy weather we faced a crisis: the lights flickered and then went out. At first we wondered what faulty mechanism of ours had caused this failure, but the trip switch was still in its correct space, which made us realise that the fault was not ours but our suppliers, and then we remembered that there had been a striking explosive noise outside. In fact, the branch of a tree in our neighbour’s garden had dropped onto the electricity cable.

But what could we do? Our phones would not work, neither was email possible. How dependent we all are on technology! But somebody got through and the national grid vans arrived and explained that we would have to wait for a tree surgeon to come and remove the offending branch and any neighbouring branches likely to cause further damage. Ironically our neighbour, the tree surgeon, was not at home. We had a salad lunch! Our neighbours who were entertaining a friend to lunch had to go to their allotment and retrieve a camp stove to complete the cooking of their meal.

Deprived of power, life becomes problematical. And so it is in the Christian life: the branch on the power line might be all manner of distractions, inner fears, an overwhelming sense of guilt, a preoccupation with all manner of urgent concerns. But rather than obstructions to prayer, these can become the very substance of our praying, if we lay them before God. St Paul writes, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6–7).

To ponder – advice from St Augustine: “Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you”. Good advice or dangerous?

John Briggs