Keeping The Tank Full

September 1st, 2020

Years ago, I pastored a church in Connecticut where I would take Monday’s off. It was always great to get away and spend time with my family. Most of the time we simply went to the mall as the kids loved the full-size merry go round there.

I distinctly recall one particular sunny Monday as our car entered the highway headed to the mall. Although the fuel tank read full, just a few hundred feet onto the roadway the car began to sputter and then stalled as we coasted to a stop under an overpass. Lynn and I had each presumed the other had filled the tank. I instantly pieced together that the fuse to the fuel gauge was blown, the tank was empty, and we were now going nowhere.

Like the faulty fuel gauge, it is easy to misread the state of our spiritual condition. Covid-19 has overwhelmed us with the frantic chaos of our workplace, job and financial insecurity, new childcare issues, the loss of gathering with friends and family, forfeiture of vacations, and healthcare issues to name a few. Without realizing it, our world is so upside down that we no longer have any consistency in reading our Bibles, spending time in prayer, or hearing from God through webcasts or even an old school radio broadcast. Our tank is on zero and we didn’t even notice it.

However, rather than bemoan our situation, the Scriptures remind us to put off the past and press on. So how can we press on when life is so cluttered? Here are 9 ways you can keep your spiritual tank full:

Determine it is YOUR responsibility to refill your tank and keep it full. There is no better time to take action than right now. Your spiritual health may be impacted by others BUT you are in charge and responsible for restoring and securing its wellbeing. Claim this responsibility and you will have a better chance of successfully dealing with it.
Right now, set a time for daily Scripture reading. Pick a specific time that won’t interfere with other things and keep it as an unchangeable priority.
When reading, always ask yourself what you have learned. It could be a simple fact or a spiritual insight into your life or situation. Whatever it is, don’t forget to write it down.
Set a daily time to pray for 10+ minutes. Make a list of people and things to pray for and you may find that 10 minutes is not long enough! Pray early as it will bless and strengthen your day.
Set a weekly time to listen to the church webcast, YouTube channel, or read it's blogs.
Call another Christian and chat with them. Ask what God is doing in their life (that will help them) and share what God is doing in your life.
Do something weekly to touch another person’s life. It’s not that hard and the Lord expects it. Serving others is very fulfilling.
Share with someone what you learned in your daily Scripture reading. It could be a simple fact or a great insight. This will give you a platform to share your faith. God will open the door at just the right time.
Ask people if you can pray for them. Simply mention that you pray each morning and/or evening and want to know if they have something you can include in your prayers. Then thank them. It will bless them AND you!

Let me go back to the story of our car running out of gas. The Lord was so good to us that day. Within a minute of being parked under the overpass, a man in a truck stopped and helped us get to a service station. After thanking him profusely, we filled the car right up to the gas cap! We never again trusted solely in the fuel gauge and our tank has never become empty again.

Remember, constantly guard your spiritual tank and keep it full. You will never regret it!

Hebrews 12:1-2 says:
“1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”