For want of a charge

9:06 p.m. Today's project was to schedule facials with two ladies I met this week, who both happily gave me their numbers. Neither of them answered the phone or returned my call today. They may call me back tomorrow, or if not, I may call in a few more days. There was definitely time to check my email and fill the afternoon with others who might have responded to my Inventory Reduction Sale (IRS) message. But I had a problem.

Earlier in the morning, I had attempted to post Psalm 10:13-14, the next verses in my bi-annual Facebook journey through that inspiring book of the Bible. I pretty much post the next verse that comes along, trusting that there will be personal significance for any of several hundred readers who may happen upon it on a given day. People have told me that they look forward to my daily scripture, just like I anticipate other friends' posting of verses or inspirational quotes.  Psalm 10 is  "A Song of Confidence in God's Triumph over Evil." And vv. 13-14 say,

Why do the wicked renounce
   God?
He has said in his heart,
"You will not require an account."

But You have see, for You
   observe trouble and grief,
To repay it by Your hand.
The helpless commits himself to
   You;
You are the helper of the
   fatherless.

The only problem was, that I could not get my notebook computer to connect to our Verizon 4G network, even though the network was on. (The outdated technology of our desktop made any attempt on that machine ludicrous; my son-in-law had been trying everything for days, and our business systems administrator friend was in agreement with that assessment). So, there the matter stood, even though the notebook is only a couple of years old and had been connecting perfectly well for weeks. I completed the rest of my devotions happily, enjoying the Bible, a selection from the devotional My Utmost for His Highest, and journalling  my prayers to the Lord. More calm now, I was resigned to the fact that sometimes we just cannot accomplish all we set out to do!

What to do? The local Verizon store rep told me to bring in the mi-fi hotspot and he'd check it out. After praying, and realizing the Lord had other plans, I logged out and shut off all components. Since Steve and I were both ready for the day, it seemed that using the Winco gift card I received from our oldest son was as good a way as any to spend a morning "disconnected" from the outside world. I laughed a bit at myself, wondering how we ever got by before the invention of the World Wide Web and the Personal Computer!

At least I my rickety cell phone was still working!

While we were in line, our tech expert called to see how the computers were doing since I installed a wireless network adapter. (Not good). He mentioned that he had returned a brand new, top of the line, newest generation $400 Android X phone himself for non-performance! Is nobody safe these days?! Common consumers like me haven't got a chance, if there's a piece of high tech equipment Neal couldn't get to work! Good grief!

Back at home, I put away the perishables, and turned both computers and the mi-fi hotspot back on. The 4G network flashed green pretty quickly. One thing I noticed when the notebook came on that it was unable to really complete the action because the orange low battery was flashing. I made sure it was plugged back in to the outlet charger and got Steve situated.

Then it occured to me--that might have been why it wouldn't connect to the network! It didn't have enough battery power. And sure enough, after several minutes, I hit the "Internet Explorer" icon on the desktop, and it connected right away! Something...So...Simple.

Quickly logging on to Facebook,  I posted my scripture, wished a few friends Happy Birthday, complimented an engaged friend's bridesmaids' dresses, viewed my profile page for any comments, and then checked my gmail email account, where I found that some ladies had responded to my ad!

Funny how a simple habit like keeping the laptop's battery charged can be so easily overlooked and become the source of aggravation! I'm reminded of a medieval nursery rhyme that begins, "For want of a nail," and escalates from a nail missing in a horse's shoe to the loss of the shoe, the horse, the rider, and the battle. And so it is with our walk with the Lord.

A believer might begin sleeping through morning devotions, drop out of Bible study, or neglect their small group home fellowship, then start skipping church, and then before they know what has happened, they just aren't walking with the Lord any more. They may or may not pick back up the bad practices they gave up through the conviction of the Holy Spirit when they got saved, because the devil manipulates each backslider differently. But without regular time in God's Word, fellowship with His people, listening to instructive, inspirational, convicting sermons, and having a regular prayer time, temptations are a lot easier to fall into.

Even Jesus, God the Son, attended synagogue regularly, and found prayer to the Father to be an absolute necessity! Luke 6:12 records Jesus' action before choosing the twelve disciples:

Now it came to pass in those days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Believer, you may not get up tomorrow with plans to rob a bank, poison the municipal water system, or shoot up heroin, but when you choose to neglect the worship and honor due to God, you will find yourself totally drained of the purpose, joy, direction and peace that could be yours from the abiding Presence of the Holy Spirit. That's because you will have been "disconnected" from the one true power source: Jesus Christ!

So stay plugged in and powered up!