The other day as I was filling my gas tank, I began to think about the importance of that fuel for the running of my car. Without gas, it cannot perform. I was reminded of how cautious we need to be that there is enough to arrive at our destination, whether the journey is short or long.
I remembered the times I drove across the desolate expanses of Texas or New Mexico or Arizona or the desert of California. In those areas, service stations can be a great distance and one always has to be sure to have a goodly amount in the tank to reach the next station. Every once and awhile, you will see someone on the side of the road pouring gas into their tank from a large container because they had planned incorrectly.
We also need “fuel” to sustain our physical lives. The foods energize us and, for the most part, give us nourishment. The blood that flows throughout our bodies is also life-giving.
When our spiritual energies begin to run out of fuel, how do we refill our “tanks?” One of the most important ways is to attend a fulfilling worship service. I have always seen the time of worship as a time to refuel. We run down our supply and our spiritual strength during the times between those refueling “stops.”
It is my responsibility as a worship leader to help with the spiritual refueling. In my own services, I often say: “If you attend a service and your spirit is not uplifted and you leave feeling more burdened than when you arrived, I have failed to refuel you for the days ahead.”
I pray that all who read this will take advantage of pausing this Sunday to worship and be refueled. None of us truly know s what tomorrow will bring: if it calls upon us to utilize all our faith and spiritual strength, will our tank be full enough to cope or will it be near empty? God’s love is a great and wonderful fuel to sustain us on all our journeys of life whether small or greatly distant!
The Rev. Robert Edwards is pastor at Bethlehem United Church of Christ in Tenth Legion. He is enters his 50th year of active ministry in June.
