For a while, I was a bank examiner. It was a hard job. We worked day and night. Days, we were in banks examining them. Nights, we were analyzing data and writing reports. I saw little of my wife and baby. My chief memory from that period? Being exhausted. There never seemed to be even a moment to recharge.
Sometimes, I would go over to a colleague’s apartment to collaborate on number-crunching and report prep. On those nights, he played a Jackson Browne album over and over. About once each hour, we would hear Jackson sing "Running on Empty." After a while, I knew all the lyrics and could sing along. Those lyrics perfectly matched my situation:
(Running on) RUNNING ON EMPTY!
(Running on) RUNNING BLIND!
(Running on) running into the sun
But I'm running behind
No vehicle runs on empty. Doesn’t matter whether it’s gasoline, diesel, electricity, or any other fuel. There’s got to be something in “the tank” for it to work as intended. I guess we could get out and push. But how long could we keep that up?
I recalled this season of my life as I read this week's Luke passage. I've known so many people who became exhausted trying to fulfill their desire to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Spiritually speaking, these followers of Jesus are running on empty. I'm not sure where we got the idea that we can perform the so-called “second greatest commandment” on our own. Maybe from some misapplication of the concept of "sacrificial love." Definitely from some misunderstanding of scripture.
Wherever we got that idea, it's wrong.
We are spiritual vessels. Unless we allow ourselves to be filled with the love, vitality, talents, and gifts of God, we are not going to be able to love our neighbors as ourselves. If we can accept God's filling of our vessel, we will have the resources to love our neighbor without bankrupting our spirits. In other words: God loves us, why can't we love ourselves?
Seriously, dare we think less of ourselves than does God?
When I was a bank examiner, I soon came to the understanding that the people above me were also running on empty. I exited that career path in less than a year. I found a job that let me spend my evenings and weekends with my family, meeting my vital needs, and recharging my batteries for the next workday.
Granted, we cannot always arrange our work for the optimum rest and recreation needed. But that is no reason to approach our spiritual journey the wrong way. We can (and must) set aside time with God, allow ourselves to accept that God loves us, to rest in that love, and to love ourselves as God loves us.
Something must be in the vessel or there will be nothing to pour out. Then, and only then, can we successfully love our neighbors as ourselves. Only then can we truly live the second greatest commandment.
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PHOTO: Steve Orr
Jackson Browne singing “Running On Empty (with lyrics):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq25ZJwZJzU
Devotions for people running on empty):
https://www.faithfoxvalley.org/running-on-empty
_________________________
Blessings,
Steve
**Zoom link (Zoom allows you to mute the camera and the microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89947678414
Psalm 82
Deuteronomy 30:9-14
Psalm 25:1-10
Colossians 1:1-14
Luke 10:25-37
Proper 10 (15) (July 13, 2025)
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