I have been blessed or maybe just careful that I have only run out of gas twice in my time of driving and that was as a teenager. On one of these occasions, I actually coasted into a gas-station. But do not ask me how many times I have come really close, based on the amount of fuel it required to fill up—too many to count. Through the years as a Christian, I have realized that our spiritual journey is similar to road trips. At times, we look at our gauges and know we are extremely close to empty—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I am sure that I am not alone in sometimes wondering if I am going to make it. We all hope life will be like a drive on a flat smooth road with pretty scenery and lots super-service stations where we can get fuel, food, and rest. However, life can also lead us across high mountains and on lonely isolated roads that require more gas with no place to refuel.
I feel like my past few weeks have taken me through the length of the Rocky Mountains—low fuel, low oil pressure, battery not charging, and overheating. All my human gauges said I would not make it. Yet, the Holy Spirit reminded me that my gauges and His gauges are not the same. His gauges said, “Keep on driving.” I am writing this on Sunday afternoon, trying to get it ready to publish in the morning. I was delayed Friday just after gaining victory over a long battle, thinking I could finally rest; I came down with the flu. By late afternoon, I was not only thinking I was out of fuel, I wondered if I would live. Even my wife, a nurse, was concerned. This is the first day I have even been able to sit up.
Well, enough of my problems. During the past few days, I kept thinking about how many other believers were going through similar or worse times, as they gaze at their gauges thinking they would not make it. Like me they cannot see God’s gauges.
Covered up in bed, I was flipped through the cable channels Friday afternoon, not watching and barely listening, I happened to hear a minister say, “There are always great battles before new beginnings.” Even in my fever driven stupor, this stuck in my mind. Many of you know Donna and I have been in transition to her new job and our new home for the past two years. With the sale of our house in Columbia and even the sale of the farm that I inherited from my grandfather, I told Donna last week that I hoped this new beginning worked because now we did not even own a piece of property where we could pick a tent. The bridges back are gone.
We are not alone in our times of difficult journeys. Numerous Bible characters travelled these same roads. Elijah became so exhausted after victory over the prophets of Baal that he ran into the wilderness and prayed God would take his life. Instead, God let him sleep and sent angels to feed him. Elijah thought that he had no more fuel, but the LORD had more work for him to do. Probably, the best example of life’s ups and downs is the Apostle Paul. We typically view him as the invincible warrior for God. He was a great warrior, but several times in the Book of Acts, Luke recorded times when ‘the man’ Paul was running on empty. Paul became so afraid in Corinth that the LORD came an encouraged him and told him to keep on preaching. In jail at Jerusalem, Paul was so discourage that he thought he would ever reach Rome and his ministry was over. Again the LORD came and told him “Take courage; for as you have solemnly witnessed to My cause at Jerusalem, so you must witness at Rome also (Acts 23:11).” As a prisoner headed to Rome, his ship was caught in such a violent storm that everyone gave up hope of being saved, even Paul. This time God sent an angel telling Paul to stop being afraid that He would make it. He was still not empty on God’s gauge.
Just life itself can be a demanding and energy consuming. At the top of life’s list of taxing tasks are people, especially those who work in some area of Christian ministry. I always joked with my students that ministry would not be so difficult if it were not for people messing it up. Yet, we must remember we still live in a fallen and sinful world.
Becoming a believer does not change the fact we will travel through difficult places. Heaven is yet to come when all our problems will be gone. Until then, we must continue the journey that God has set before us. There will be times our gauges may show empty, but God is watching His gauge and will not let us run out. Even if, like Elijah, we collapse under a juniper tree and want to die, God will refuel us because He has more for us to do.
Sustaining Word for the Week:
Your gauge says ‘empty’ but God’s gauge says there is just enough to get to the next fuel station. He has more for you to do; you may be at the point of a new beginning.