Where Was Moses

Where Was Moses
When I was growing up, my Dad Carl Beck would sometimes pose riddles to tease me. One was the riddle, “Where was Moses when the llights went out?” And the answer was “In the dark.” This riddle was brought to mind Sunday morning.
I arrived early as usual, unlocked the door, and went inside as I usually do for each service. Others began to arrivve and were speaking to our Paston in the vestibule. It was a normal Sunday morning where the men gathered and talked just inside of the door and the ladies waked up the stairs into the sanctuary, greeting others before settling their belongings onto a pew. They began to write prayer requests on slipe of paper to be added to the church bulletin. It is a way for the congregation to share the buurdens of others and lift their names to God. All was going as normal when the electricity went off and the church went dark until the emergency lighting camae on.
The emergencylighting doesn’t illuminate the entire sanctuary, but does light the side aisles to assist in parishiners seeing the way to the several egresses. Our Pastor decided to carry on with a shortened service, even in the darkness. There was no “live” service because the entire computer system and audio was out. There were no microphones, no electrical “organ,” and no overhead lights. Our choir director and pianist reverted to playing music on the piano, the music lit by a flashlight. The pulpit was liit by another battery powered lantern. I was asked to pray for the names on the prayer list. I’m sure aI was chosen because my voice is strong enough not to need the microphone. In other words, I am a loud mouth.
We were to partake of the Lord’s Supper, the elements were already prepared, but that part of the service was postponed. There was no reason to have folks wandering around in the dark. The electricity was off, but the power of God was still in the message and service.
A remarkable thing happened at the conclusion. I was standing and getting ready to leave when the lady behind me said, “It’s a silent testimony to the people driving by the church. Even though the electricity is off and the church is dark, the parking lot is still full.”