Today’s Daily Bread ~ Running Low

2 Corinthians 4:16 – That is why we never give up.  Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.

I am pleased to say that I’ve never run out of gas.  I’ve come close a couple of times.  I remember running late one morning, and even though the needle was only a hair above “e,” I decided to go for it, and coasted into to work on fumes.  The warning bell was dinging angrily as I pulled into the parking lot, and by God’s grace, I had just enough gas left to make it to the station around the corner when I left the office.

My spiritual warning bell is dinging.

I woke up this morning to my 5am alarm and sluggishly pulled myself out of bed.  I fed our dog, and then stumbled to the coffee pot, gripping my mug like a drowning man clings to a life raft.  As I put pen to paper in my journal, these words spilled out: Dear Heavenly Father, I am in a funk.  Mercifully, He answered me quickly.  No child, you’re running on fumes.  When was the last time you came away with Me?  I am all around you, yet you won’t open yourself to be filled.

He brought a picture to my mind.  Me, driving down a street lined with gas stations. Fuel light on, needle dropping.  Crying out for gas, yet refusing to pull in and fill up.  It’s what I look like to Him right about now.  Exhausting myself from one thing or another; desperately needing Him, yet refusing to stop long enough to let Him fill me. 

He brought to mind one of my favorite passages from Isaiah.  Chapter 40, verse 31 – But those who wait on the LORD will find new strength.  They will fly high on wings like eagles.  They will run and not grow weary.  They will walk and not faint.  I felt nudged to look up the passage in Hebrew, and the word translated to “wait” is qavah (kaw-vaw’).  It’s packed with meaning, and gave me a completely new perspective on the verse, and where I might be going wrong.

The short definition of qavah is to wait, but it also means to bind together (perhaps by twisting), i.e. Collect; (figuratively) to expect — gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon). 

When I think of waiting, I think of stopping down.  It has a passive feel about it, lacking action.  The definition in the Hebrew indicates otherwise.  The one that strikes me most is to bind together.  If you want a strong rope, what do you do?  You twist several or many cords together.  Look at Isaiah 40:31 this way: But those who bind themselves together with or twist themselves to the LORD will find new strength.  My problem is this – I have been attempting to go it alone.

Although I do read the Bible regularly, I sometimes get so busy writing about it that I neglect to sit and really study it.  In fact, I can’t remember the last time that I sat down for a chunk of time and just immersed myself in God’s Word with no agenda other than spending time with Him.

Another way I plug into the Holy Spirit is to get away by myself outside.  I feel like I can best hear God when I go for a long jog.  A treadmill doesn’t cut it – it has to be outdoors with no headphones or other distractions.  My husband even suggests it when I start to get antsy or grouchy.  I almost always come back refreshed and re-energized.

Another way to look at Isaiah 40:31 is in the context of gathering together.  But those who gather together in the LORD will find new strength.  God means for us to come together in a common place to worship Him and lift each other up. “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst (Matthew 18:20 NASB).”  We strengthen each other, sharpen each other.  God doesn’t mean for us to pass through valleys alone.  It is important for us to cultivate Christian friendships.  We are strengthened by them, and by the process of ministering to others.

How is your spiritual tank?  Are you joyful, or just barely making it through the day?  Does the thought of giving or serving lift you up, or frustrate you?  Are you rested but still exhausted?  Check your needle.  It might be time for a fill-up.

2 Corinthians 4:16 – That is why we never give up.  Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.

The word here in the Greek for renewed is anakainóō (an-ak-ahee-no’-o).  Literally, it means I renew, make new again.  The word is used only twice in the Bible; in this particular verse, and Colossians 3:10.  In both instances, it clearly indicates that God is doing the transforming or renewing.

You can hardly go a mile in any direction without seeing a gas station.  But unless you stop and fill up, you’ll run out of fuel, and your car won’t run. 

The Holy Spirit is always with us.  Jesus’ arms are stretched out toward us.  He alone can refresh us, fill us and sustain us.  But He will never force us.  We have to come to Him with open hearts, ready to receive.

Dear Heavenly Father, we confess that we don’t always make You our number one priority.  Often times we put everything else first, and if we have time, we read the Bible.  Or we sleep in instead of going to church.  Please forgive us for this.  We ask that You would convict us, don’t let us pull away from You!  You alone are our strength.  Just as our children run to us for reassurance and love, let us run to You, and linger in Your Presence.  God, we ask for a fresh spirit of love today.  Bless us so that we might be a blessing to others.  If someone hurts our feelings or says something that irritates us, fill us with a tender spirit of compassion.  Help us to see others like You see them, and love them like You love them.  We ask You to fill us with Your Holy Spirit, enabling us to shine Your light for all to see.  We love You so much, God, and we ask these things in the beautiful name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen