Where’s Your Recharger?

Do you feel about as useful as a cellphone that is about to run out of power, and you’ve just realized the recharger has been hopelessly misplaced?

Could You Use a Spiritual Recharge?

Here’s a brief story about a simple instance of a lost phone recharger, and how the Lord graciously used it to illustrate a deeper need to my heart.

With all the wonderful things our cellphones can do, from allowing us to easily get in touch with friends and acquaintances, to searching the internet for vast amounts of readily accessible information; of what use would they be if there were no rechargers?

The Search

A few weeks back, my phone recharger suddenly was nowhere to be found. After searching for a while, I thankfully was able to locate my husband’s identical recharger and use it to get a full charge.

After several more days, of course, it needed another energy boost.

This was right before making the video for the podcast associated with this blog post.

Unfortunately, my hubby must have moved his recharger or taken it to work with him that day, so the opportunity for a recharge was non-existent if my own recharger didn’t somehow show up.

Of course, God knew exactly where it was. In the moment, I uttered a prayer, trusting that it would turn up at the perfect time. It seemed that this was one of those strange little instances where a word picture would speak louder than actual words.

I had searched many times in the areas where it MUST have been (unless it had fallen into or under something random), because I usually keep it in relatively the same spot.

Obedience and Trust

Tending to be quite the disorganized person, and even though I KNEW it wasn’t going to be in the area where I was about to be working, I decided to do some organizing of things that had been needing attention for quite some time. It was an act of obedience, even though it probably was NOT going to help me locate the recharger.

It took quite a while, and it was good to get the things organized, but, no recharger….

That is UNTIL I “just happened” to move ONE last thing at the end of this time of obedient working along with the Lord. Suddenly, the recharger appeared from under that object. Somehow it had fallen underneath (and who knows HOW?), and it would seem to have been something that would have been moved in all the prior searches…. But apparently it hadn’t been.

And it seemed to be “just like the Lord” to graciously have it appear as if “out of nowhere” right after that time of trusting and following Him in doing that much needed organizing.

There was a sweet and contented smile on my face as my thoughts turned to His grace in providing through and by that simple act of obedience; and the realization that the whole little ordeal spoke of a deeper truth about our lives.

Connected to the Vine

It’s reminiscent of the Scripture passage from John 15 about the vine and the branches, where Jesus says: “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5 NIV)

We are so much like that phone, running on empty. There is a part of us that can only be recharged by a SPECIFIC charger, whose charging port matches exactly.

The world, the flesh and the devil will all try to provide us with energy, motivation and inspiration, but only the Holy Spirit has the perfect connector (Jesus Christ) that will truly give renewal.

If you or someone you know is “running on empty” and needs to be filled back up, may this simple word picture encourage you to be sure to be plugged in to JESUS, to get your strength and vitality from Him, just like the branch in that scripture relies on the sap from the main vine to give it life.

There is so much good that He can do in and through you (just like that phone). He can make connections through you and use you to enlighten those around you. But if you are trying to do so in your own strength, it will soon be sapped.

Seek Him to be that spiritual Recharger for you, and if you seem to have “misplaced Him”, obediently listen to Him, do the next right thing, and trust Him to show up for you at just the right time.

I know of so many people who have gone through trying times in recent months and years, often feeling isolated, needy and/or overwhelmed (and maybe you can relate). Sometimes, we can feel like the words expressed in this Bible passage:

Psalm 42:1-6a ESV

“As a dear pants for flowing streams, so pants my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, while they say to me all the day long, ‘Where is your God?’ These things I remember as I pour out my soul: how I would go with the throng and lead them in procession to the house of God with glad shouts and songs of praise, a multitude keeping festival.

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”

May Jesus be your everlasting, abundant supply of strength, hope and joy, even in the midst of a dry and weary land….