Richard Fowler, manager of Howard Electric Cooperative published this prayer in this months Rural Missouri Electric Cooperative’s magazine.
Editor’s note: This invocation was given by Richard
Fowler, manager of Howard Electric Cooperative,
at the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives
August board meeting.
Father, You know the very place where the winds
begin, and it is only when You send those winds,
that we have wind power. Thank you for the wind.
And it is only when You send the rains, that we
have hydropower. Thank you for the rains.
You cause the Earth to rotate, giving us the
sunrises and sunsets. This sun You have created
gives us solar power in the hours You have set.
Thank You for the power generated by Your sun.
You placed the coal in the ground and coal has
been used even in the days of Moses as a source of
fuel. Thank You for the coal we use.
You placed the gas in the ground for us to use for
heat and electricity. Thank You for the gas that
heats our homes and turns our generators.
Father, it was Your lightning that taught us the
very use of electricity, and all the benefits that come
from its use. Thank You for that knowledge.
Father, You created the CO, to bathe the plants
with life. And the more CO, we have, the more our
crops flourish to feed a hungry world.
Forgive us when we boast that somehow we can
influence the hurricanes, tornados, storms
and floods. Forgive our foolishness. Father, we
acknowledge that You are in charge of the weather
not us. We use the fuels that You gave us to
create and distribute electricity, But the source of
all this power is You –
– not man.
Some fear that by using coal and gas, that we will
somehow create a worldwide flood. But you tell us
in the Book of Job that You are the One who says
to the seas, “This far you may come and no farther.”
And You have given us a rainbow as a pledge that
never again will a worldwide flood happen.
Father, you have offered wisdom to those who ask,
and without finding fault, that wisdom will be given
freely, and so we do ask, knowing that You and
You only are the source of all wisdom. We pray for
wisdom for Caleb, his staff, and this board, and all
cooperatives across this land,
Give us the courage and the boldness to stand
in the gap with truth about what is required for
reliable power. No one talks about that. Let us be
the ones.
And let us be the ones to defend the poor
concerning affordable power. No one talks about
what the cost would be, if we quit using Your
coal and gas. Father, for the sake of the poor,
please help us to warn our nation of the cost and
reliability issues that we face.
In Jesus’ name, we pray.