I’ve run out of gas in my vehicle once in my life.  I’m hoping to keep it that way.  I had always been proud of my track record.  I had run on fumes many times, but always made it to the station, until I didn’t.  I made an excuse for why it happened.  I parked on a slanted parking lot that made the gas pool on the wrong side of the tank.  But the truth was I had been living on the edge for a while.   But this time it finally caught up to me. 

I would like to say, I have learned my lesson.  I never let my gas get that low anymore.  But I haven’t.  I am always running on the edge of disaster.  Recently I have been thinking of changing philosophies of gas filling.  I have always been a fill it to the top and wait till the gaslight comes on and fill it again kind of person.  I was always impressed with Pastor Dennis Anderson.  He always viewed the half a tank mark as the place to fill up.  He told me he always wanted to be prepared and ready in case he had to drive somewhere. 

Jesus told a story or parable about oil.  It is recorded in Matthew 25:1-13 and is often called the Parable of the Ten Virgins.  Ten young women were waiting for a bridegroom to come.  Five were wise and had oil for their lamps.  Five were foolish and didn’t bring oil and got caught in their laziness. 

I don’t know about you, but I have emotionally and spiritually let my tank get low at times.  I should know better.  But I run on fumes and hope that I will be able to coast into the station.  I have found recently that this is a luxury I can’t afford to take any more.  I was basing my assumption on the fact that life was going to get better.  Which is partially true, ultimately God is working everything our for my good. But on the other side, the road to good, often has twists and turns and if I am not aware, I will be like the young ladies in the parable, caught unprepared. 

I need to constantly be replenishing my emotional and spiritual tanks before they get low, because if I don’t, I will be unprepared for where God is leading me next.

With Cars and Spirituality, I want my new philosophy to be, “Fill it up please!”

John