$75.43 was the cost of filling up my car last Sunday compared to $41.96 just six weeks ago for the same amount of fuel,” posted my friend and preaching colleague James McClenny on his Facebook page.
James insisted it wasn’t political. But it illustrated a powerful spiritual reality.
James opined, “that to get from point A to point B and back, my car must be filled with fuel. So, as much as I may dislike the cost, I have to pay it in order to fill up my car or just sit at my house going nowhere and doing nothing.”
He then offered this comparison.
In a similar way—but on a much higher level—I must pay the cost to “be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9), or remain stuck—spiritually stagnant and going nowhere. Since I’m a run-it-down-to-the-fumes kind of guy with my car, I’m amused by the “don’t let it drop below the halfway line” types. But when it comes to our spiritual “tank,” we ought to be diligent about keeping it full for the greatest possible spiritual strength.
When Paul prayed for the Colossian saints to “be filled,” he used a word that means to be filled to the brim—overflowing. Interestingly, he does not say “filled with the Spirit,” but “the knowledge of His will” (1:9)—a rich, deep understanding gained through study, experience, and spiritual discernment. While Paul asked God to fill them up, he also invested in their growth by writing a letter expounding on “the word of truth” they had previously heard (1:5–7).
James’ post reminded me of Jesus’ teaching about the cost of discipleship in Luke 14:25–33. If you’re building a tower, you first consider the cost. If you’re going to war, you evaluate your resources. And if you’re taking a trip, you make sure you can afford the fuel.
So, what does it cost to fill your spiritual tank?
To “be filled with the knowledge of His will” requires time, effort, and energy. It does not happen accidentally—just like earning a degree or mastering a skill. We must become diligent disciples willing to read, study, and meditate. Like the Bereans, we receive “the word with all eagerness,” examining “the Scriptures daily” (Acts 17:11).
If your Bible is lying on the shelf from Sunday to Sunday, never opened, you’re not filling your spiritual tank. Get into the Word. Absorb it. Meditate on it. Let it shape your life.
Good devotional material can also supplement your Bible reading and often prompt deeper study into passages and truths you might otherwise overlook.
Take advantage of classes offered by your local congregation. Read the lesson beforehand. Think through the questions. Engage the material. Dig a little deeper.
Furthermore, don’t be a spectator in worship. Engage. Connect with God’s presence. Participate with your brethren. Sing with both spirit and understanding. Focus your mind on Jesus and His sacrifice. Listen actively. Take notes. This kind of intentional involvement fills your spiritual tank.
What about you? Are you running on empty? Is your spiritual tank dry?
If so, be “filled with the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:19). Be “filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). Be “filled with the fruits of righteousness” (Phil. 1:11).
An empty tank is dangerous—on the highway or on the narrow road of holiness.
–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman
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