I know that my blog’s readership is all over the demographic charts. Each week, it is read by people not only in the United States but also in other countries, young Holy Spirit lovers as well as, how can I kindly put this, not as young Holy Spirit lovers, and finally people of every kind of background. With that in mind, I know that this post will have significant meaning to some readers and others will be totally clueless.
Here’s the background. As I write this blog, it is early Friday evening, September 30. Right now, Vickie and I are sitting in an air-conditioned home, lights are on around the house, a television is entertaining Vickie, and our internet and WiFi are making this blog post possibe. Why is this important? Before 2:30 PM today, none of this was possible. As most of you know, earlier this week, Hurricane Ian hit central Florida causing us along with hundreds of thousands of Floridians to lose all electrical power. For our home, this blackout began at 7:35 Wednesday evening. Thankfully, we have an incredible neighbor that gave us a little relief when he loaned us one of his generators. After the hurricane passed through Florida Wednesday evening into Thursday morning, we waited patiently (okay, that’s not really the truth – impatiently is far more accurate) for Lakeland Electric to restore our power. At 2:30 PM today, my prayers were finally answered. Our power was restored and everything returned back to normal. Believe it or not, I did the happy dance. (Thankfully this wasn’t captured on video.) It feels SO GOOD to have our power restored!
Here is where the clueless part comes in. Throughout the blackout, the Holy Spirit brought to my memory a song that we often sang in our church while I was a child and teenager. I know that the song “O Lord, Send the Pow’r Just Now” hasn’t been heard much less sang in most churches today. While I was longing for power to be restored to our home, this song echoed the longing of my soul for the Holy Spirit’s power to be restored to today’s Church. The words and message penned by Charles D. Tillman in 1895 should be the anthem and cry of today’s church.
Here’s the song…
- They were in an upper chamber,
They were all with one accord,
When the Holy Ghost descended
As was promised by the Lord.- Refrain:
O Lord, send the pow’r just now,
O Lord, send the pow’r just now;
O Lord, send the pow’r just now
And baptize every one.
- Refrain:
- Yes, the pow’r from Heav’n descended
With the sound of rushing wind;
Tongues of fire came down upon them,
As the Lord said He would send. - Yes, this old-time pow’r was given
To our fathers who were true;
This is promised to believers,
And we all may have it too.
This is my prayer. “O Lord, send the pow’r just now and baptize every one”. Will you also make this your prayer?
Yes Lord, send your power and baptize us in the Holy Ghost!