"Over the last twenty years I have been in the air about every week to lecture at different churches in Canada and the United States. And every week I roam airport gates — or even airport lounges — in search of those elusive outlets as I wait for planes that are on time, late, or cancelled. I even carry a three-way plug so I can share with others whose outlet search has already been successful. I need electricity to charge my computer, which is, by the way, an Apple Macintosh, which I chose initially because the Bible proclaims that 'those who look through the windows see dimly' (Eccl. 12:3).
"In traveling, therefore, I think a lot about electricity, about how to find it and connect with it. I think about how incredibly powerful my MacBook Pro is, and yet how absolutely dependent it is on getting its battery regularly charged. And, in that process, I have found my metaphor, my generative, constitutive mega-metaphor, for prayer. In that metaphor we are all laptops, and prayer is about empowerment by participation in and collaboration with God.
"Think about electricity as a metaphor or symbol for God. Do not respond that electricity is only a metaphor or just a symbol, because the alternative for the mystery of an invisible God is always some other metaphor or some different symbol. But tread carefully here, because metaphors create dreams and symbols create visions.
"This God-as-Electricity is always there, whether discovered or not. Even when found, my human freedom allows me to connect or not connect. It never forces itself upon me. I need it without its needing me.
"Furthermore, God-as-Electricity is equally available to all comers. You do not have to merit it by your action or deserve it by your character. You can be rich or poor, young or old, gay or straight, female or male, or anything else you can imagine.
"Finally, God-as-Electricity works just as well for game and movie players, cell phones, and digital assistants; it even works equally well for Apples and PCs. All we laptops have to do is find an outlet and plug ourselves in; empowerment is the free gift of God-as-Electricity."
