John Q. Public
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy habitation of the Most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God will help her when morning dawns. The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come, behold the works of the LORD, how he has brought desolations on the earth. He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear; he burns the chariots with fire. “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.
Psalm 46
Friends,
Me, to the busy store employee: “Excuse me”.
Store employee: “Yes?”
Me: “Do you have any battery packs?”
Store employee: “Yes. They are right there.”
Me: “No. Those are packs of batteries. I want a battery pack.”
Store employee: “I am not sure what you mean.”
Me: “It’s a generator run by a battery.”
Store employee: “A generator? Today? Are you kidding?”
Incensed, I impatiently walk out to the store.
I drive to another store and see an employee. That store is also busy. I ask that employee, “Do you have battery packs?”
The other store employee: “Yes. They are up by the checkout.”
Me: “No, I mean generators that run on battery power.”
The other store employee: “We don’t carry those.”
Me, condescendingly: “I called. The person on the phone said you carry them.”
Incensed, the other store employee walks away without a word.
Another store employee comes to help me. “There may be one more left.” There was not.
The other employee explains, “You see, with the fires and the power outages, people are buying anything and everything. It has been packed today.”
It occurs to me I have been the impatient John Q. Public at both stores.
Psalm 46 (printed above) has a well know phrase “Be still, and know that I am God.”
The words “Be still” are actually one word in the original Hebrew meaning, “Let Go”.
PGE (Pacific Gas and Electric) has announced through social media, the news and other means that they plan on shutting down the power on Saturday for several days. That has led to crowded stores, shortages on generators, flashlights, ice and so on.
John Q. Public (like me) becomes very impatient with other people. We create stress in the lives of people who are merely trying to make a living by providing a service to others.
A good lesson is to “Let go.” God leads us through these occasions.
Be still. Let go.
Peace,
Ricky Adams
Pastor
Peace Lutheran Church
Mill Valley, California