The God-Factor

Ok. You’re going to need to hang with me for a minute on this one. The other day I was reading an article about research and development about leveraging gravity as a renewable energy source. My first response was one of intrigue as I considered that gravity is relatively constant and plentiful. “The possibilities are likely limitless with this energy,” I reasoned. It turns out the possibilities are quite limited.

According to Dr. Christopher S. Baird, Associate Professor of Physics at Western Texas A&M University,  “gravity cannot be used as an infinite energy source. In fact, strictly speaking gravity itself cannot be used as an energy source at all. You are confusing forces with energy.” He then goes on to describe lifting a bowling ball to the top of a hill and letting it go. Isn’t the ball gaining energy when the ball falls and speeds up as it proceeds? It seems like it does. Interestingly, the author points out that the ball gained energy when he hefted the ball up the hill! The potential energy of the object increased the higher he lifted the ball.

What about hydroelectric plants that extract energy from the falling water of rivers? Don’t they extract energy from the falling water? The water is no different than the ball that he hauled up the hill. The water gained its energy, not from gravity, but from the process of evaporating up into the air then descending onto higher points so it could fall down the riverbed.

What was his conclusion? “You can never get more energy out of a system than you put in.”

If we lived in a solely physical world without the God-factor, I would agree.

Scripture

Isaiah 55:9-11

"For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”

Points to Ponder

·       We are spiritual beings that interact with a physical and earthly kingdom of natural laws – like gravity and energy. Those entities are limited. They are limited because, while God is the source, he has said heaven and earth will pass away. If we are in Christ, we are spiritual beings that interact with the physical and are more keenly aware of a spiritual kingdom of unnatural laws – like fruitfulness and multiplication and life abundantly. Those entities are limitless because God is their source, and they emanate from his being.

·       As you continue reading Isaiah verses 10-11, a God-as-the-source limitless natural process is described where rain and snow fall to the earth to propagate budding and sprouting to produce seed and food before it returns to the heavens to continue the process. That phenomenon is used to describe the spiritually limitless law of his Word going forth to accomplish what it was sent to do before returning to him.

·       The heavens (plural) are higher than the earth (singular). Most astronomers believe, in fact, that the “heavens” are always expanding! Indeed, anything that God has started or is involved with is superior to anything that we have started or are involved in without him!

·       Like the ball and the water molecules gaining potential energy as they are lifted up, so we too are energized through being lifted up in Christ, seated in heavenly places. May God release us in his power to “roll down” to this earth to accomplish his will and purpose.

·       While it may be true that we can never get more energy out of a system than WE put in, it is also true that WE can always get more energy out of a system that HE is in. If we are the sole source of creating and sustaining something, it will be full of lack. Or we can align ourselves with those things that God has ordained and sustained and experience abundance.

41 Cents Application

This week, the 41 Cents Application will be a little different. I would like you to consider focusing on four steps to addressing one thing. I am encouraging you to ask the Holy Spirit to highlight one process in your life that is too dependent upon your creativity and sustainability. This may take a few moments, hours, or days. When he does reveal it to you, take the first step to repent of dependency upon self rather than God. Transfer a coin. Acknowledge the limited nature of the outcomes; face the reality that you are having to put far too much energy into it compared to the results. Transfer another coin. Next, ask the Holy Spirit how he wants to transform that system. Document that plan of transformation identifying the necessary steps to take. Transfer another coin. Finally, act on that first strategic step toward transforming the system into an exponential growth, God-factor initiative. Transfer the last coin for the week.

Prayer

Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I declare that you are the creator of all. You are before all things and in you all things consist. I acknowledge my propensity at times to initiate and/or sustain things in my own strength. Those results fall so short of the mark. This week I want to grow in my discernment of the source. I love the way things grow and multiply with you as the source and sustenance. I want to walk in more and more of that by your grace. In the name of Jesus Christ, the one with whom we are lifted up and seated in heavenly places, gaining potential energy to be released back into the earth, AMEN!