What, you're a gas station!!!

Have you ever ran out of gas? I remember the first time I ran out of gas. It was in Greeley and I was at a red light about to turn into a gas station and then, “sputter, sputter.” I was completely out of gas.

Yesterday my beautiful wife ran out of gas at Sonic in Hudson Oaks. She was able to catch a ride with Alex Ainsworth (thank you Alex) just in time to meet another girl at Railhead for lunch. That left Jordan and I with the mission of taking gas to the empty minivan.

All we needed was someone to loan us a plastic gas container and then we would bring it back. We traveled to the first gas station and asked if we could borrow a gas container to fill up the car and they said, “No!” We traveled to the second gas station and the asked again. This time the lady behind the counter looked at what appeared to the be the manager of the store, then he said “No!” We made our final stop at a local gas station and asked again, only to be rejected the final time. We ended up having to buy a 2 gallon gas tank from the last “convenience” store and 2 gallons of gas for $20...WHAT A DEAL!

As I left the convenience store I was put out for several reasons. Here I was carrying a little boy asking 3 different gas stations to borrow a container where I could put gas in my wife’s car and it happened to be 120 degrees outside. I not only felt desperate, but I knew I had to look desperate too. I begin to get upset and angry at the gas stations, but then God hit me between the eyes.

Is that what we do sometimes as Christ-followers? We have exactly what people need in Jesus. They come to church or open up to us at our jobs and we just totally ignore what they are crying out for. All they need is a “gas container” to fill up because they ran out of gas. They have some need or hurt and they come seeking comfort/help/guidance, only to be rejected! And you know the saddest part about it. Once they are rejected by the “church” or “followers of Christ” they go and seek out hope/guidance/comfort through other avenues and it ends up costing them even greater.

Ladies and Gentlemen...

May we begin to live out the life that was modeled to us through Jesus Christ. May we begin to see the ones around us in and what their needs are. May we begin to offer hope ones that are seeking it. May our church/student ministry be a hospital for those that are hurting.