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A couple of weeks ago, the Parish Hall lost power for about eight hours when workers on Frederica Road damaged something that affected us and surrounding neighborhoods. We didn’t even know we lost power for several hours, though. Not until Harry heard the generator running out back. Our generator and solar system work so seamlessly that there was a brief flicker, and we were back online so fast we didn’t realize it had happened. We continued our operations, held meetings, and hosted a group of thirty folks, and no one was the wiser.
I’m always glad when things work the way we intended. The whole point of the generator and an added benefit of our solar array is so that we can remain open with heating, cooling, and internet in emergencies. This was the first test (that we know of), and the system passed with flying colors.
As some of you know, I drive a Toyota Prius Prime, which means I have a gas engine, but I also have a traction battery that can give me up to fifty miles per day without needing the gas engine. I wish I could say that the switchover was seamless, but when the battery runs down and it switches to the gas motor, there’s a noticeable shudder with the first ignition. After that, it’s smoother, but it is definitely louder when not running on the battery.
Many of us have energy reserves we can tap into from time to time. I suppose it’s like a camel. No, camels don’t store water in their humps, at least not directly. They store fat, and when needed, it breaks down and creates water at a metabolic level, preventing dehydration. They have other adaptations that help them hold off dehydration as well, but their humps are what make them famous. As I have, ahem, gained weight over the years, I suppose I could chalk it up to dehydration resistance, right? It’s not a spare tire; it’s spare water. Right, I’m going with that.
We do have reserves, though, and I’m not thinking of fat or water reserves. I’m thinking of the spirit of perseverance, or the times when we put our head down and march on, or even when we find ourselves in trying moments and amaze even ourselves at how much we can manage. Those reserves build up over time on the good days, and they come in handy on the bad days. In the short term, it can work so seamlessly we don’t even know it’s happening. Think of the moments when you get through something and realize how tired you are once you sit down.
The spiritual and emotional reserves we often build up are deployed automatically, without our awareness. In some ways, this is the sustaining presence of God that we talk about. God is always with us, and God gives us strength, in part, because remembering God’s care for us reminds us that we can do more than we might imagine. One of the reasons our spiritual lives are so important is because it is through regular connection with God that we refill our stores, or as some people might say, fill our well. We can’t draw water from a dry well.
I’ve rambled before about our tendency to confuse longings: eating when we’re thirsty, or pursuing earthly things when what we really crave is God. A regular prayer and sacramental life doesn’t guarantee we won’t run out of steam in a crisis, but it makes it much less likely. God’s abundance does accrue over time, whether we realize it or not. When we acknowledge the importance of staying connected to that abundance, we can dip into those reserves seamlessly again and again, finding the strength for the journey. As I’ve preached before, the church is an original charging station. There aren’t USB ports in the pews at Christ Church, but it is most certainly a place we come to recharge. It’s time to plug in; we’ll see you soon.
