Heading east on Interstate 23, I look down at my gas gauge. My heart pounds. The yellow needle is on empty and I don’t know how long I have been driving like this.
I pray.
God, please help me get to a filling station before I run out of gas!
Hands clenching wheel and back straight, my eyes look for a sign—any sign pointing to gas. And I make it. I pull in and pull up and stop and get out.
Then I realize my gas tank is on the other side of the car! Of course!
I get back in and hope to God that the engine starts. It does and I turn the car around. I breathe a sigh of relief as I swipe plastic, punch grade, insert nozzle, and pull the lever hearing energy flow full down and into the tank.
Funny how times like these parallel life.
I’ve been running on near empty for a week, not noticing, just driving myself tired. And it has all been by choice. People I love are in need. And I’m beyond tired.
But I remember that God says His grace is sufficient for me and that His power is made perfect in my weakness. And I accept this truth and let myself rest. Life does go on and God provides.
God provided praying friends in my weakness.
And today, God provided someone I don’t know and have never met and probably never will meet. He wrote me an email saying he and his wife had just read the devotional I wrote for a recently published e-book. He wanted to tell me that he and his wife had prayed for me and our family that day—the day I hit the wall and he didn’t know.
And another friend drove all the way home and back to bring me tea tree oil to pour in a hot bath. She said it would soothe and help me sleep.
And our kids were dear. Anna made hot herbal tea and kept replenishing my mug. Zach did all my farm chores gladly. Nick scratched my back.
And my husband hugged me close and let me cry out the tired.
And my husband hugged me close and let me cry out the tired.
How rich I am in love!
How amazing God is with grace!
It’s OK to need people. It’s OK to need God.
Because people like to be needed. And so does God.
And God made us all with a soul gauge. When we realize we’re nearing empty, hopefully we won’t ignore the signal but, instead, run into love for a fill-up.
Because Jesus never runs empty.
His grace abounds and His love fills complete, over and over again.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair. 2 Corinthians 4:7-8