First Steps – October 4, 2021

While driving my car the other day, I did something that I seldom ever do. I nearly ran out of gas. Normally, I’m the type of person who fills the tank when it reaches a certain level, where there are about 40 miles left before empty. I have a friend that doesn’t even think about filling the tank until it is less than 5 miles remaining. Frankly, that would drive me crazy.

However, while filling my tank, I wondered if people do the same with their faith. Do we wait until there is nothing left before we seek to fill it up again? Followers of Christ live with a “receiving and giving,” “inflow and outflow” type of rhythm. This means that there will be times where we give – which can empty the tank, but we are to fill it again with the sabbath, prayer, and personal study. When we don’t fill the tank up again, we are more prone to moral mistakes and faulty judgments.

In Mark 6, Jesus sent out the 12 Apostles (verses 7-12). They returned and reported to Jesus, and he immediately led them to a place of solitude (verses 30-31). How interesting that after giving themselves in ministry, Jesus wanted them to retreat to be restored.

So, as for our “gas tanks,” we don’t have to wait until we are bone dry to be filled.