Fill 'n Go
"Welcome to the Fill 'n Go gas station!" I said enthusiastically as the children entered the classroom and parked themselves in the parking spaces that we made using yellow duct tape on the floor. Our center for this summer's VBS was colorfully decorated with gas pumps made of large sheets of butcher paper. At our "service station", we were teaching the kids about choosing to serve others instead of self.
"Just like cars need gas to go, we also need fuel to energize us and enable us to serve others," we told the children. "It is only when we fill up on Christ's love that we are able to pour it out onto others."
At VBS, I was the one teaching those children as they gazed up at me from their parking spots on the floor. But in real life, I am the child gazing up at the Lord as He is trying to teach me the same lesson. Ashli, you can't go out and live passionately for me without being filled with me first. And you can't be filled with me until you are empty of yourself.
I want to go! This summer, my foot has pushed the pedal to the floor only to find that my tank is not filled with the fuel I need. Oh, it has been full - full of self and not of God. So the Lord has gently been ripping away my perfectionism, pride, and selfishness until I am left completely empty of self. I will admit, it was not a comfortable place at first. It was only yesterday that I finally gained the strength to tell the Lord, "I am comfortable being empty." And I heard Him whisper back, Now, you are ready to be filled.
Praise God for His kindness and patience toward us. When I have gradually filled my tank with selfishness, He is gentle and loving in removing my pride. He has honored my desire to go and serve Him by first siphoning out my selfishness and emptying me of my pride. Even though it has been difficult to feel so weak and vulnerable before the Lord, this humility has left me available to Him. Now that I am empty of myself, I am open to be filled with the gas that will really make me go - the unconditional, unending, unfailing, unbelievable love of the Almighty God.
Come into the the presence of the Lord and allow Him to empty you of youself. When you tell Him, "I am comfortable being empty," He will fill you to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:19)
"Just like cars need gas to go, we also need fuel to energize us and enable us to serve others," we told the children. "It is only when we fill up on Christ's love that we are able to pour it out onto others."
At VBS, I was the one teaching those children as they gazed up at me from their parking spots on the floor. But in real life, I am the child gazing up at the Lord as He is trying to teach me the same lesson. Ashli, you can't go out and live passionately for me without being filled with me first. And you can't be filled with me until you are empty of yourself.
I want to go! This summer, my foot has pushed the pedal to the floor only to find that my tank is not filled with the fuel I need. Oh, it has been full - full of self and not of God. So the Lord has gently been ripping away my perfectionism, pride, and selfishness until I am left completely empty of self. I will admit, it was not a comfortable place at first. It was only yesterday that I finally gained the strength to tell the Lord, "I am comfortable being empty." And I heard Him whisper back, Now, you are ready to be filled.
Praise God for His kindness and patience toward us. When I have gradually filled my tank with selfishness, He is gentle and loving in removing my pride. He has honored my desire to go and serve Him by first siphoning out my selfishness and emptying me of my pride. Even though it has been difficult to feel so weak and vulnerable before the Lord, this humility has left me available to Him. Now that I am empty of myself, I am open to be filled with the gas that will really make me go - the unconditional, unending, unfailing, unbelievable love of the Almighty God.
Come into the the presence of the Lord and allow Him to empty you of youself. When you tell Him, "I am comfortable being empty," He will fill you to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:19)
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