"E" is for Energy

We all know we need energy to live. In these days, we gain more and more appreciation about where energy comes from, how we use energy and the impact our energy use has on the earth – the place where we live. Basically, much of our energy comes from the sun, from the plants that are able to take the sun’s energy and “grow with it”. Those plants give us food and dead plants give us fuel (oil, gas, peat bogs, wood, ethanol, etc.). Of, yes, the sun gives us solar energy and, in its way, wind energy. To say nothing of the energy packed into each atom. The discussion of energy can get scientific and, of course, political. 

But in all our scientific and political studies of energy, I think we overlook an important source of energy. This occurred to me during a recent visit from our granddaughters. You give children some overnight sleep, perhaps an afternoon nap, and they have an unlimited amount of energy! They have energy to sing and dance and play and crayon and build (and knock down) and smile and giggle and jump (on Omi and Opa’s bed – don’t tell their parents!) and run and go upstairs and go downstairs and play on and on … I look at our grandchildren with amazement – there is no ‘on/off’ switch and there is no place to plug in so that we might be able to tap into this vast source of energy. We just hold out for our next NO – “nap opportunity”.

So, what can we learn about this energy source that we call ‘children’? They are eager –they engage – they are enthralled -- they enjoy. They ease into the simplest activities with such an earnestness, it astounds the adult onlooker. Their energy and enjoyment can attract us and, yes, even give us energy.

Of course, what our children have is enthusiasm or as the French might say, ‘joie de vivre’.  Children have an enthusiasm for life, for others around them, for activities, for ‘what’s next’.  It is interesting that enthusiasm come from the Greek, entheos –it means, ‘in God’ or ‘having God within’.  Living in God or living in a way that shows God within us is living with God energy, the energy that comes from God (yes, the God who created the sun and the stars and all the atoms!)

God wants all of us to live with this energy as God’s children – to be God’s enthusiasts. Which reminds me, “E” is for Easter, where we see the power of God energy as resurrection energy bringing, offering, and promising new life.

“E” is for Easter that shows us the power of grace energy that we can tap into and live with, every day!

-Pastor Steve Godsall-Myers, GMSteve@adventharleysville.org

Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/adventlutheranharleysville