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I drive a 2008 Ford diesel truck which with the fuel price increase this past year can be a hefty bill when doing a fill up.  Because of the expense of some minor repairs, I have needed to do over the past several months, I have had the tendence to only put $25 or $30 in at a time to help me from not having a heart attack over dropping $85 to have a full tank.  There are several reasons to fill a tank up, one being the voice of my grandfather saying, “son, always keep your tank full and don’t let it get on E!”

This fuel situation got me to thinking, how often do we, mostly myself, tend to run life on empty or even stay close to the E marker on the energy and capacity gage?  As always, Jesus has great words for us to consider in running our lives on empty.

25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.  26 Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Matthew 11: 25-28 NIV 1984

This passage should speak volumes to all of us, especially in Christ’s acknowledgement of our need for rest and how we can find this rest in Him!

There are three dangers of running on empty:

1. We are always running the chance of running out of energy, courage, and trust in God.
2. There is the stress of constantly needing to be close to something or someone which can fill our tanks.
3. We end up focusing on our limits, instead of focusing on the possibilities and places God wants us to go.

The people Jesus spoke these words to lives under a religion which was heavy in expectations and low in assurance and blessings.  I assume for many the burden of their religion was more than they could bear and wore them down!

We stay filled up with the energy and confidence of Jesus when we stay close to Him in prayer, His Word, worship, and fellowship with fellow believers.

When we rest in Jesus, He continually renews our energy and readies us for what lies next!

That is Good News!

You are Valued and Loved, Pastor B

Rev. Brad McKenzie is Lead Pastor at Orange First Church of the Nazarene, 3810 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in Orange.