“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
John 15:5,8 NIV
I was running on empty, and yet more people arrived and I emptied myself out more. Each time I thought I had done enough, given enough, said enough. But more came - in person, on the phone, by message, they just kept coming. I was overwhelmed by all the stuff I had to do and yet these people kept coming, wanting a piece of me. So I left them, walked away, just a few yards - not far. And I prayed. I prayed and prayed. Once more filled, I returned and I gave, I spoke, I did some more.
Ever feel like that. Ever want to just stop, regroup before getting back on the merry-go-round we call life. Well, the secret’s out, written almost two thousand years ago. We can do nothing without Christ. Only when we draw on His strength and do His will, then we won’t run on empty. Each time we are emptied, we will be filled more and more.
The quality time we spend in fellowship, the one-to-one conversations we engage in, the random people we meet would all drain us if we doing it all in our own strength. When we call on the Lord, he answers and gives us what we need. So we never run on empty. We are emptied out and refilled.
I heard of seeds planted today that warmed my heart. Other things I heard saddened me. The ball dropped, or whatever phrase comes to mind. There are things that are not for God’s glory, but even when there seems no hope, there is.
Rebuilding Community 