Riding on Empty

When I was a kid I can remember a lot of my dad various oddities. One of them was how he handled the car and its gas. My dad was famous for playing Russian Roulette with how long he could go without filling his truck up with gas. I remember riding and seeing that light go on, and two or 3 days later thinking, "wait he still hasn't been to a gas station?" (Which by the way we had at least 3 gas stations within a mile of where we lived). When I finally got my license I did not want to play this deadly game of cat and mouse. Even today, I fill up when the gas level gets a quarter of the way,even half! (I apparently have some damaging dysfunction) I just felt nervous as a kid that we would break down, or run out and be stuck somewhere if we didn't fill up. Isn't this picture similar to the Christian life?
As most ministers, and lay leaders know, you can only go so far without filling up. Some people try to ride the spiritual high's of Christian concerts, or mission trips, or even preaching, or teaching, or leading a group to keep them going. (I so aptly in college called this the Christian "Crack-High") As a leader, I am constantly expelling emotionally, physically and spiritually to people in my congregation, my friends, and my family. I ride around on "E", the spiritual gas tank blinking ever so brightly in my mind, yet try to keep going by teaching, preaching, counseling, mentoring...or basically doing the stuff that still focuses outward.

Now there are a million good books, and good Christian authors who have talked about this subject but I think it deserves (and so do you) a nice reminder. If you do not fill up, you will crash, plateau, be more susceptible to sin, break down, and burn-out. We need to fill up.

1. Being refreshed and nourished by God's Word.
One of my favorite passages to read, and reflect upon is Psalm 119. This Psalm has a main focus on God's word, commands, laws, decrees, (you get the hint). How beautiful they are, how wonderful they are, and how they teach, instruct, uplift, encourage, and nourish us.

In John 4, Jesus is hungry, thirsty. He speaks with a Samaritan woman who is drawing from a well. Jesus confronts her by asking her for a drink. They talk, and Jesus says this in John 4:13-14: “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” Obviously Jesus is speaking about eternal life through him, but he draws upon the picture of physical water that gives nourishment or sustains life into His everlasting fulfillment of those who come to Him.

It reminds me of when I work out. I drink gallons of water, as I am thirsty, as well as tired. The water just refreshes me, and helps me to continue working out. As cheesy as it may sound, filling up on Jesus through His word, quenching your thirst in knowing who He is, and remaining in Him nourishes us so that we may go out and teach, preach, share and live the gospel out.

One other passage I want to share is Deuteronomy 8:3, where God is telling the people that they must obey his commands and not forget who got them there and who provided for them. He says, "
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD."

Clearly we must recharge, and live, feed, nourish ourselves on the word of God.

2. Walking, running, exercise, play a sport.
This comes out of left-field for some as they wonder how do I fill up by running, walking or exercising? Plenty. My morning time used to consist of walks until I changed to the current devotion time I have now. But I love to worship and fill up by working out so physically i feel the affects of what I do. God gave me the body I have, I am called to take care of it in all circumstances (1 Cor. 6) so why can't it be a form of worship or a time of refreshing. We know physically that when we work out we relieve stress, anxiety. We know that when we do a form of exercise consistently we prolong life, and improve the quality of that life. So how can it not be tied to the health of our spiritual lives? Physical exercise has proven that it can help, and most certainly be an aid in nourishing us.

3. Devotion
This has been an area that I have done a much better job at. I used to never be able to get up early for anything. But for the past 4-5 months I have made a diligent effort to get up around 6am. I try to use most of that time to get into God's word, and memorize Scripture passages, and have an open dialogue with God (my version of prayer so to speak)
This time can be a time for whatever you want it to be. You can devote yourself to anything that brings to mind the joy, and love of Christ. You can pray, you can read the word, or listen to worship music, fast, sing, or even dance. All the things I just listed can be found in Scripture and are a form of worship, praise and filling up on some Jesus juice so that we can be encouraged, nourished and well.
This is essential if we want to make it in leadership, and if we want to be effective in our walks with God (esp. with circumstances always changing).

Think of it like this: Think of the times when you feel closets with Christ. For me I feel invincible, but I also feel more loving, caring, empathetic and I learn more about Scripture. I feel so full that I have to share the knowledge that I have learned from His word. The filling up is meant to do just that: share, teach, worship, etc... But it is also to care for you, nourish you, remind you, and love you through Christ life giving Spirit, to that we share with the world we live in.

Be Blessed