Filling Stations

        With sleepy eyes I hit the power button on the Keurig for my hot tea and began making a bowl of instant oatmeal. I appreciated the purposeful little blue line inside the oatmeal packet clearly telling me how much water to add. The Keurig was not kicking into action and notified me to “Add more water”, which I did up to the proper fill line.  Over breakfast I contemplated fill lines.
        The line isn't always drawn high--sometimes shallow water demands equal attention. Humans can drown in two inches of water, and sometimes we can be having so much fun playing in the shallows that we never see the waters of the flash flood coming! Shallow sin can be like that too. We mask our gossip as concern, or go ahead and watch that questionable TV show, or see our flirty comments as harmless, but before we know it, the shallow has quickly turned into something harmful and we're in deep. 
          Knowing where our fill lines are is crucial. Gas stations are a perfect physical example. Mom saw a man pumping gas once when the pump didn't shut off and gas spewed everywhere! Talk about dangerous! In the spring one of the farm chores is getting fuel for all the equipment. We usually need around 10 five gallons containers filled for Red Gate's tractors, Gator, weed eaters, and lawn mower. It takes focus to shut off the fast flowing gasoline just at the right time. Interestingly in NJ (along with some counties in Oregon, and one town in NY) you are prohibited by law to pump your own gasoline. Back in the good ole days, gas station attendants would often clean windshields, pump gas, and check the oil level. Most of these extra services had disappeared by the time I started driving but I do remember choosing which lane to get in; self-serve or full-service, where you could just sit in your car and say “fill er up please”. 
          God is all about fill lines. “... And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints, how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17-19)  And Christ knew the importance of being filled Himself as accounted in Luke 4:1 where He fasted, prayed, was baptized—and was  filled with the Holy Spirit before the Spirit lead Him into the wilderness where He was tempted by the devil. Important factors are He knew the chaos of flood waters was coming so He prepared, and the Holy Spirit went with Him knowing the fight was about to happen. That same Spirit is ready to fill us and go with us as well.  It's the fullness of Easter!
          A few closing points: sometimes we're like that Keurig in that we need to add more water—Living Water. God knows our fill lines and His generosity causes our cups to runneth over (Psalm 23:5) Deep faith saves us from shallow sins. And the best “filling stations” usually have a steeple and cross.  

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