Daily Devotion | September 15, 2021

Empty

by Pr. Steph

I didn’t mean to do it. It just sort of happened. I scheduled myself too tight. An early morning appointment in Grand Forks and a mid-morning commitment in Fargo. As I drove down the interstate I was right on time and had plenty of gas in the tank to make it up north. All was good until I realized that I didn’t have time to stop at the gas station before leaving Grand Forks if I intended to make it back on time to Fargo for my mid-morning meeting. I looked at the gas tank marker. It was a quarter full, which I supposed would be close, but definitely enough to get me home. I was wrong. Close, wasn’t close enough. The empty light came on and shortly after all the bells and buzzers started ringing. I was out of gas.

I didn’t panic. I was in striking distance of the Cenex station in Harwood. I would simply get gas there, apologize for being a few minutes late, (in hindsight I should have done that in the first place) and then forget the whole thing ever happened and never speak of it again. Except that didn’t happen. The Cenex station in Harwood was under construction. Not open. NO GASOLINE AVAILABLE. I had no other choice. My only option at that point was to confess my emptiness and call home for help.

In my defense, this was the first time I had ever run the gas tank completely dry. However, my family will tell you that there have been plenty of times I’ve driven on fumes before filling back up. This time I just got caught. As I sat in the car waiting for my husband Marty to show up with gas, I thought about how much this roadside incident felt like a metaphor for my life. I am always pushing limits, boundaries, and timetables to get to the next place. I go, go, go until I can’t go anymore. I go until I run out of gas and then I pray, “God, I’m empty. HELP.” I go until I get caught and then I confess my need for God is great. You too? Will you try something with me? Might we together confess FIRST our need for God in all things before the bells and buzzers go off; before our tank runs dry? Might we choose to call on God and be filled with God’s Spirit so that it is no longer you nor I who drive the intentions of our life, but God who lives in us and who invites us to draw close to Christ who alone is enough?

Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens and I will give you rest.” This promise of God is always open and always AVAILABLE for you. In prayer, call home, and be filled full of faith everlasting. Stop counting on the tank markers of this world, and start counting on God.

-- Pastor Steph

 

 

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