Empty

 Have you ever run out of fuel in your vehicle leaving you stranded? It happened to me one time while riding with a friend. He ran out of gas and the engine stalled. The ironic thing is the guy was rich. He just neglected to stop long enough to refuel. We had to push his vehicle to the nearest gas station. Our cars and trucks have gauges to let us know when the fuel is running low. 

People don't have gauges to indicate they are running low of emotional, spiritual, and physical fuel. Many are living on empty. I'm not sure we could even call it living. People are going through the motions coasting on the fumes of past God encounters, and all the while they are empty, dry, and maintaining daily routines robotically. Empty people are often emotionally numb. Unable to feel deeply. 

This can happen as a result of burnout. It can be caused by repeated trials that eventually wear a person down. It can be the outcome of a life of trauma. No matter the cause, there are empty people walking all around us. People who appear to be alive on the outside, but they feel dead on the inside. Empty people are often hurting people. They may not even be able to express what is going on inside of them. They just know they are not right on the inside and in the mind. 

Well meaning believers may exhort them to read their Bible and to pray their way through the emptiness. The empty person may still do those things and still feel they do not benefit. What is a person to do when they feel empty? The enemy who only comes to steal, kill, and destroy [Jn 10:10] wants to isolate people in their emptiness. What they really need is someone to listen, someone to care, and someone who will not try to fix them. That is not our job. It is God's. 

Empty people need to reflect on activities that bring joy and refuel them. They may need to alter their routines to include these activities. Mark Batterson is an author and pastor and he writes that sometimes we need a change of pace and a change of place to get us back on track. Maybe a walk slowly taking in the scenery or take out a book to read for pleasure. Maybe lunch with a friend is a good medicine to refuel your spiritual, emotional, and spiritual tank. It may sound kind of silly, but it is amazing how a good nap can recharge our batteries and give us a fresh perspective. Empty people have little left to give. Refueled people are a tremendous help and blessing to those they encounter including empty people. 

My friend did not stop long enough to refuel his SUV all those years ago. It ended up costing him more in the long run. Maybe you to stop to do some refueling too before you are completely empty. 

Miracle in the Pulpit

 I sat with my head down praying while the praise and worship filled up the room. It had been a day. Two different trips to Amarillo ate up a good chunk of it. Other projects took out significant time. When I finally got in my office to study for an evening message, a visitor dropped in after only five minutes. That was the only time I had to study for the message. I did not feel prepared. I wished anyone else in the place had been chosen for the assignment but me. I cried out to God for help. 

I did not even know how to start the message. I prayed in desperation. I put no confidence in my ability, education, or experience. I've preached thousands of times. I did not feel adequate to preach that night. I heard the worship leader speak words I dreaded to hear as he prayed, "Now Lord, I ask you to speak through our brother whatever you have laid on his heart." I had a text. I had no meat. No introduction, no body, nor conclusion. I just had a text and prayer that God would speak to me. 

I reluctantly walked up and stood there silently for a few moments. I opened my mouth and molten lava of truth spewed forth for the next thirty minutes. Even while preaching, the thought occurred to me that only God could inspire the things coming out of my mouth. When it ended, I bowed my head and silently thanked God for the miracle that had just occurred. I told Brenda, Tucker, Turner, and several others that only God could have done that after the service. 

The next day a lady asked me if I could give her one of the points I made in the message she missed as she took notes. I told her I could not and then explained what happened. I told her I could never preach that message again even if I wanted to because God gave it in that moment. That is not the first time He has done that. I am sure it will not be last. 

Preachers are called to study for preaching to show ourselves approved unto God. There are times when life gets in the way. It is always God who inspires, gives revelation, and empowers people to preach if their is life and fruit in the preaching or teaching. There are plenty of preachers who don't rely on God. They rely on their education  and their vast experience in preaching and teaching. They work on eloquence and carefully crafted sermons. They may appeal to the ears, but they don't ignite the soul and fire new thoughts in our minds spurring us to repent, obey, and step out in faith. None of these things produces lasting fruit or spiritual life. 

I choose to lean into God. To acknowledge my inability to produce life change in people in my ability. Only through the power of God and unction of the Holy Spirit can I be a vessel of any use. He gets the glory. I don't deserve any credit. If He ever uses me to communicate truth and people are saved, moved to repentance, or to follow Him in a deeper level, that is all Him. I am just a vessel. God once spoke through a donkey. I'm humble He called and chooses to speak through me. 

May miracles in the pulpit continue whether I have time to study or not. May He keep using me to proclaim His truth to a lost and dying world, an apathetic church age, and to those hungry for the living God. I trust Him with the results and will do my best to deflect all glory to Him.