September 07 - Running on Empty

Have you ever driven a car with the fuel gauge well into the red wondering if it will make it to the next garage? I certainly have- I’ve even been through the red and on to the end stop and just made it to the filling station running on the fumes of the car in front. Maybe you’ve done it because you’re one of those people who push things to the limit to get the most out of them, may be you passed up an earlier opportunity to refill knowing there was a filling station further on that was 1p/ litre cheaper, maybe you just didn’t notice you were running on empty or maybe your gauge was faulty.

I’m reading a book about characters in the Bible that were spiritually running on empty. There’s a prophet running for his life from the Queen vowing to kill him, another heading West when God said go East, a King committing adultery and murder and thinking he’d got away with it, and a childless wife tormented by a rival and desperate to conceive. They had all be driven to breaking point or let their tank run dry and now they were hiding, drifting or breaking down, but they all (eventually) were refilled by God and had their faith strengthened.

Like them you too may find yourself running on spiritual empty, trying to get by on the faith of the person in front. It maybe through stress, your own fault or circumstances outside of your control. Whatever the reason I know that if you turn to God and ask him he will supply you with sufficient fuel for the journey ahead – just ask, no fancy words, he’ll know what you need.

Andy Boston, Church leadership team.