Fuel Warning Indicator Light

I had not accounted for the wind. Driving to a meeting in another town had never been an issue before. I could make it on one tank of gas with plenty to spare. Yet, on this trip I was headed directly into the wind with some significant gusts that focused my full attention on keeping the car between the lines.

As I neared my destination, the fuel warning indicator came on. As I looked at the gas stations I passed, none of them looked safe, so I kept going. I compared the miles left in my tank against my GPS telling me how many miles to my destination. I barely made it and found a safe gas station a couple of blocks from the meeting.

How often do we encounter similar events in our spiritual walk? We’re cruising through life in familiar circumstances when suddenly a wind gust catches us by surprise. We realize that we haven’t been filling our tank regularly and are dangerously low on fuel. It seems when things are going well in our lives, we can easily slip in our daily time with God thinking we can handle what comes our way. Then something arrives unexpectedly, and we find we don’t have as many reserves as we thought. We then go scrambling back to God for help. We love to give, blessing and helping others, but forget that we also need to be filled back up or our tank will run empty. The best way to avoid the warning indicator light is to stay in the Word, spending time talking and communing with God throughout the day. He is the source of all good things and we are in direct communication with the One who sees everything before it happens and provides the answers we need to succeed.

Psalm 63:1 reminds us of the importance of time spent with God, "O God, You are my God; early will I seek you; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water." Just as a bodies require water daily, we also need time each day with Him.

As we enter this Christmas season with all the demands on our time, energy and resources, take time to get away, filling up your tank by reading the Word, praying, and worshipping the One who made this special season. The time will not be wasted and will provide the needed energy to accomplish all those busy to-do’s, parties, shopping, baking, wrapping, decorating, traveling and so-on.

How full is your tank today?