You Can't Run on Empty

 

When my husband and I got married we were both in our early twenties. He spent a lot of time on the road due to his long commute to work. Despite being on the road so much, I never understood how he could ignore his gas gauge. He often pushed the limits of his car's fuel tank, probably because he was eager to get home after a long day. As a result, he frequently ran out of fuel. It happened so often that I finally told him I wouldn’t pick him up anymore. “You can’t run on EMPTY,” I would always say. Fortunately, he has made significant improvements over the years.

 

I have come to realize that our time spent with God is much like the gas tank of a car; it serves as our spiritual reserve. Lately, I've found myself pushing the limits of my spiritual tank, and this is something the Holy Spirit has been pressing on my heart. “You can’t run on EMPTY,” He gently reminds me.

 

The role of a believer is to spend time with the Lord and then reflect that love to the world. It is a continuous process of being filled in His presence and emptying ourselves to those around us.

 

I recently revisited the story of Abraham sending a servant to find a bride for his son Isaac. Rebecca was the ideal choice because she was found doing exactly that—filling her vessel with water and then emptying it. The Bible mentions that Abraham's servant had ten camels.  Each camel typically drinks about 30 gallons of water in one sitting. Imagine how many times she had to fill and empty her vessel; it was truly a labor of love.

 

Our process of filling and emptying can also be a labor of love at times. But it needs to be consistent, as this is what God desires from His bride.