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 our report. I saw little of my wife and baby. My chief memory? 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 preparation. He had a Jackson Browne album that he would play, over and over. About once each hour, we would hear them 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
This all came back to me as I read this week's Luke 10 passage. I've known so many people who became exhausted trying to “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
Looking into their eyes
I see them running, too
Spiritually speaking, they were running on empty. I'm not certain where we got the idea that we’re supposed to do that all on our own. Maybe from some misapplication of "sacrificial love." Definitely from some misunderstanding of scripture. Wherever we got that idea, it's wrong.
We are 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 eventually came to the realization that the people above me were also running on empty. I exited that career path. 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 that 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.
Then, and only then, can we successfully love our neighbors as ourselves. There must be something in the vessel or there will be nothing to pour out. Only then can we truly obey the second greatest commandment.
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PHOTO (and devotions for people running on empty):
https://www.faithfoxvalley.org/running-on-empty
Jackson Browne singing Running On Empty (with lyrics):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vq25ZJwZJzU
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Amos 7:7-17
Psalm 82
Deuteronomy 30:9-14
Psalm 25:1-10
Colossians 1:1-14
Luke 10:25-37
Proper 10 (15) (July 10, 2022)
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1 comment:
Excellent points!! Been there with ya! Satan keeps us running because we buy into the world's lies... never have enough, be enough, do enough. Until we trust that God is enough we are run ragged! Love ya Bro!!
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