The Power of God

by Alan Smith

The story is told of a hospital’s Intensive Care ward where patients always died in the same bed, on Sunday morning, at about 11 a.m., regardless of their medical condition. This puzzled the doctors and some even thought that it had something to do with the supernatural. No one could solve the mystery... as to why the deaths occurred around 11 a.m. on Sundays.

So a world-wide team of experts was assembled to investigate the cause of the incidents. The next Sunday morning, a few minutes before 11 a.m., all doctors and nurses nervously wait outside the ward to see for themselves, what the terrible phenomenon was all about. Some were holding wooden crosses, prayer books and other holy objects to ward off the evil spirits.

Just when the clock struck 11... Pookie Johnson, the part-time Sunday sweeper, entered the ward and unplugged the life support system so that he could use the vacuum cleaner.

The story isn’t true (despite what you may have heard to the contrary). But the principle is an important one �?where there is no power, the results can be deadly.

I am reminded of what Jesus said to the Sadducees when they came to him asking a question about the resurrection. They asked the question �?involving a convoluted situation with a man who married seven women who all died �?because they hoped to demonstrate to Jesus that there could not possibly be a resurrection from the dead.

Jesus response was this: �?You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God.�?(Matthew 22:29).

Any time we deny (or limit) the power of God �?denying what He can do if He wants to �?we find ourselves on dangerous ground. The New Testament is filled with passages which emphasize God’s power. There is power in the gospel (Rom. 1:16), power in the message of the cross (I Cor. 1:18), and power in the resurrection of Christ (I Cor. 6:14).

If you’re noticing that others are spiritually dying around you (or maybe even that you yourself are dying), maybe it’s time to check the “power source.�?Are you connected to the One through whom our power comes?

May you be filled with a knowledge of “the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,�?(Eph. 1:19-20). Don’t underestimate (or unplug yourself from) the great power of our God!