“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13 ESV
Powered by fumes and prayers, my car stuttered and shuddered onto the gas station lot and lurched to the gas pump. Focused on reaching my destination, I had ignored my dashboard indicators, oblivious to the needle that had passed “EMPTY” and now sat on “Too Late-Start Walking!”
This was not a first-time event, and it likely will not be the last. Too many times to count, I’ve coasted to a gas pump on “EMPTY.” Several times I didn’t make it to the gas station and had to be rescued on the side of the road.
The problem has never been the gas gauge. The fault has always been mine. It was my utter lack of attention to something fundamentally critical to my car’s ability to function. Not smart!
Do you find yourself at times, spiritually running on EMPTY?
Certainly, there have been times when I was so focused on my spiritual destination and what I needed to do to get there that I let my spiritual gas tank run dry.
Notice all the “I’s” and “My’s” in that sentence. I was focused on “my spiritual destination” – not on God’s intentions for me.
My priorities were based on what I thought I needed to do – not on God’s priorities for me. Because of my self-focus, I neglected my spiritual gas tank, and it ran dry.
I neglected the One who deserved my utmost attention. The only One who can fill us with true joy, peace, and hope (Romans 15:13). The only One who can keep us running on “FULL.”
Scripture offers a beautiful comparison of two sisters with differing priorities (Luke 10:37-42).
Martha had invited Jesus and his disciples into her home for a meal. She welcomed Jesus. She was excited to welcome Jesus into her home. She loved Jesus and wanted to serve Him well.
Martha wanted everything to be perfect.
Martha’s focus shifted from graciously serving Jesus to making sure everything was perfect—exactly the way she wanted it.
Stress took over, and joyful service turned to resentment when Martha saw her sister, Mary, sitting at Jesus’ feet listening to Him.
Martha was running on “Empty” as she tried to guilt and manipulate Jesus into shaming Mary into helping her serve.
Kindly, but firmly, Jesus put Martha in her place. “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary.”
In her upset and stress over the many things she wanted to accomplish, she had missed the most important thing. She was missing time with her LORD.
The busyness and stress of hosting her guests perfectly and serving them well had drained her spiritual tank and blurred Martha’s focus. She was operating on EMPTY.
Martha’s joy had given way to irritation and frustration. Her sincere desire to serve Jesus was replaced with resentment of the situation and with her sister.
When we run on EMPTY, we say and do foolish things. Resentment rises. Feelings get hurt. Anger mounts. EMPTY can make for UGLY.
Jesus spoke words that convicted Martha deeply and likely changed her perspective forever: “Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.” Jesus was saying that Mary had made the best choice – she had chosen Him.
Jesus’ words speak to us as well: “Choose the best portion—choose Me.”
When we make Jesus our focus, our spiritual tanks stay “FULL.”
That according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being—so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:16-19 ESV
Friend, is your spiritual tank on “Empty” or are you running strong on “Full”?