Wonder-Working Power

I know. I haven't written in a while. My play with the homeschool middle and high schoolers is next week. We've got to get lights together tomorrow, along with all our set changes and music cues. Next week is dress rehearsal and filming, then performing twice on Friday. And Tuesday's rehearsal didn't go very smoothly. I'm a little stressed. Next year, I have to make this a bit less complicated.

I also have a sketch this Sunday morning with two different casts for the two different sites. One cast has changed actors twice now, the other is now having to film ahead of time -- tonight. Long, complicated story.

Then the next Sunday, I have monologues with two more actors -- one of whom is in a community theater play opening this week, so he hasn't been able to practice yet. The other is a brand new actor for my team who lives out of town, which complicates rehearsal scheduling.

Complicated seems to be the theme of my life these days. I don't like complicated.

Our small group is studying Ephesians, and last Sunday, we read the end of chapter 1, where Paul is praying that the Ephesians will know God's "incomparably great power for those of us who believe." That power which is "the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead." Power that we have access to today.

It's as if God has called me to go to San Francisco and given me a jet to fly there -- but instead of flying, I'm sitting in the cockpit, taxi-ing down the highway. He's given me POWER. And I don't even try to use it. I work in my own strength and quit as soon as I get to the end of that. So I never take advantage of what he's given me. So I can't say I really know he's given it to me.

I need power these next couple weeks -- power to concentrate, organize, solve problems, motivate people, keep peace, be pleasant, and just generally keep on keeping on. Time to take this scripture at its word.