Running On Empty

It makes little difference how fast you are in 100 meters when the race is 400 meters.
George MacDonald

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
Looking back at the years gone by like so many summer fields
In sixty-five I was seventeen and running up one-o-one
I don’t know where I’m running now, I’m just running on
Running on - running on empty
Running on - running blind
Running on - running into the sun
But I’m running behind
Running on Empty, Jackson Browne

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.
Apostle Paul, 1 Corinthians 9:24


The other day I was taking my kids to school. Suddenly while going up a large hill in our neighborhood I heard a little "ding" go off in my car. Then since it is such a smart car on the dash board a computer message came up and told me that "we were very low on fuel". We were in a traffic jam and this is a new car. I had no idea how long we could run on empty. In the states I knew that the warning light usually means you have plenty of time to get gas. BUT ... we are not in the states. Some things are different here. To make matters worse, our car started to make a very unique smell. A smell of fumes, I thought. I am not a mechanic but for the sake of this story I think we were out of gas and literally running on fumes. Luckily I
I made it to the gas station.

I say all of that because it seems like a very good metaphor for how I have been feeling lately. I feel like I have been running on fumes. I feel drained emotionally, physically and even spiritually. I know the warning light has went off. I can feel it. But what does one do when you are out of gas personally. I know there has to be some 10 step book to this problem. I know there has to be a message out there that is a good three point sermon by some well intending pastor. All of the points probably start with the same letter. I know there are solutions. Probably a good google search would be give me 100000000 's of solutions.

BUT ... I am not sure that is what works. Sure they can help. I know I am probably not the only one who is or has experienced this feeling of "empty". I think it happens quite regularly with "driven" people. We just become so preoccupied with our success, our "to do" list that we simply forget to stop at the gas station and re-fuel.

This is what I must do on a regular basis. I need to stop and re-fuel. I think each person has a different type of fuel therefore it can be different ways of refueling, not a simply 5 step process.

I remember hearing a message one time by Bill Hybels (pastor of Willowcreek Church) about the three guages. He talked about your emotional, physical and spiritual guages. It was probably the best message I ever heard on that subject and I do not think it had some pre-set process to help you. It talked about taking the daily time of checking your guages. The reason I ran out of gas in my car was one of two reasons and probably a little of both.

I did not look at my gas guage before I took off that morning for my errands. But, I looked at the gas guage a few days before and remembered thinking : "Wow, we need gas in the car." YET.. I did nothing about it. My life is like that also. I often do not check my guages enough and sometimes I do notice the levels are low and do nothing about it. Both can have the same result: running out of gas.

I see life and my service to God as a marathon not a dash therefore I must keep a check on my guages. I have to find ways of refueling even amongst my "busyness". I do not have a lot of set answers for this. I am really hoping to write this and as a result do something about my "gas guage" and if someone else reads this that they may look at their levels as well.

I know for me reading scripture and writing a little about it seems to fill me up. I know it is important for me to read and think about the Bible. It is water and food for the soul.

Drink and Eat.