Filling the Gas Tank

Ross, gave me a book entitled, Why Pray? by John DeVries.  It is a 40-day devotional packed with thoughts on prayer.  I thought Day 4 titled, “Prayer is filling the gas tank” was particularly profound.  John tells the story of a man pushing his car that ran out of gas right past the gas station. When asked why he didn’t pull in and fill his car with gas the man replied that he was too busy as he had just 10 minutes left to get to the church.  Can you imagine the absurdity of his reasoning?! John’ s point is that when Christians say they are too busy to pray this logic is as convoluted as a man pushing his car past a gas station.  

Meditation
Jonah 1:14—So they called out to the LORD: “Please, Yahweh, don’t let us perish because of this man’s life, and don’t charge us with innocent blood!  For You, Yahweh, have done just as You pleased.”
 
Remember the story of Jonah trying to escape from God’s call to go to Nineveh and proclaim God’s warning to the inhabitants?  God responded by sending a storm so big that the ship Jonah was on was in danger of capsizing.  When the sailors heard this from Jonah’s mouth they did all they could to row to shore. Fortunately, they did not decide they were too busy rowing to stop and pray. If they had, they might all have died.

Saying we are too busy to pray is not just poor reasoning, if we are honest it is also a direct insult to our heavenly Father.  One of my ministries is recruiting people to pray for their unsaved military academy classmates.  On several occasions after explaining the ministry I’ve had graduates tell me they were too busy to do this. It is beyond sad to think that someone is too busy to pray for the salvation of a classmate.  Paul shared with the Thessalonians, “Pray constantly” (1Thes. 5:217).  Notice he did not write, “Pray when it is convenient.” Or, “Pray when you feel like it.”  Paul knew the power of coming before God regularly!

Are you going through a storm?  If so you are never too busy to pray.  Stop rowing and share your heart with the Lord. Gain His help.  Are you at the end of your wits?  Call on God and ask for His direction.  Don’t be like the man pushing the car past the gas station. Fill up your tank with divine fuel. 
 
Inspiration
Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything.  Unless in the first waking moment of the day you learn to fling the door wide back and let God in, you will work on a wrong level all day; but swing the door wide open and pray to your Father in secret, and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God.—Oswald Chambers in My Utmost For His Highest   
 
©2017 Daniel York  ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)