Power

...the devil took [Jesus] to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor; and he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Jesus said to him, "Away with you Satan, for it is written, 'Worship the Lord your your God, and serve only him.'" Matthew 4:8-10

Power. It is all about power. The devil is trying to tempt Jesus with something that is not even the devil's to give away!

This past Friday, I think all of humankind had another reminder of just how little power we have. When Japan was hit with a 9.0 earthquake followed by a killer tsunami, I know I felt powerless in the face of what nature can do. We try to make and harness energy - whether it is mining for coal, tapping into gas and oil or using nuclear energy - and find we cannot control them, either. Just look what happened with each of those in the past year:

• Chilean miners were trapped underground for weeks as a result of an explosion.
• Some communities in which gas companies are using a method causing fracking now have contaminated water.
  
• The Gulf of Mexico oil disaster killed marine life and affected communities along the Gulf.
• The combined earthquake/tsunami is now threatening to cause a "level 7" crisis at a nuclear power plant in Japan (comparable to Chernobyl 25 years ago).

These are only just a couple examples. The bottom line is, none of us has the power to control much of anything for very long - whether it's people, or the environment, or institutions. Only God has ultimate authority, ultimate power. I, for one, am thankful for that.

O God, I turn to you, the creator of all things. Help me to serve you and not my own self-interests. The kingdom and the power and the glory are yours!