Got a Higher Power? Name Him.

          During Portland, Oregon’s Friday morning show on Channel 12, I heard a reporter change the facts of a story right in front of me! In her intro to a piece featuring a surfer telling of a shark taking a bite out of his board, she referred to what the surfer called “prayer” every time he enters the water as his “pre-surfing ritual.” During the clip he gestured toward the sky and thanked “God” for helping him. I assumed he was talking about the God of the Bible, our Christian God and I was thrilled the channel would allow a mention to God. But . . . well, paste this link in your browser and watch the clip. 

     http://www.kptv.com/story/15771405/oregon-surfer-shark-encounter-was-the-most-intense-feeling

Did you notice how the reporter changed the name of the Being the surfer identified as “God?” She changed the surfer’s “God” to “higher power!” That is not what I heard the man say.

Now I don’t believe she deliberately misled her listeners. I understand what she was attempting to accomplish since I’m a writer and do my best not to repeat words any more often than necessary as I write, but names matter.

My name is “Jeannie,” pronounced with a long e sound Jee’ nee. Like the mythological genie in the bottle. However, it’s not unusual for someone who doesn’t know me to call me “Jenny” like the mule. (My apologies to any readers named “Jenny.”)

So when the reporter changed “God” to the more politically-correct “higher power,” it mattered. There are a lot of “higher powers” out there who are not our God of Love and they are really, really bad dudes. The Bible calls them “cosmic powers over this present darkness . . . spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:12). Whether you believe in them or I believe in them or anyone else believes in those evil beings is not the point.

They exist.

They’re malevolent.

They are your enemies.

They all work with Satan who “goes about like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour” (1 Pet. 5:8). That means they all want to destroy that surfer. And they want to destroy you.

So if you have a “higher power” know who he is and use his name. Saying “God” works fine,  just don’t be vague in your own thoughts about his identity. Know that your higher power is 
the Creator of the Universe, 
the King of Kings, 
the God of the Old and New Testaments, 
the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 
And if someone calls him your “higher power” don’t let them get away with it.