Fill 'er up!

What if, when God looks at you, He sees YOU . . . every quirk and peculiarity about you . . . and He is well-pleased?
—Maggie Dnistran


Christmas is over (finally—or already). The tree has come down, the decorations are back in the box for another year, and the kids’ new toys are already on their third set of batteries. Mary has borne a son, Jesus; they received visits from angels, shepherds and Wise Men, and now, in today’s reading, Jesus has been baptized, declared beloved of God, and soon will be led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit.

It sounds a bit like our lives today, doesn’t it? We focused so hard on Christmas, expended a whole lot of energy (and money) on making everything just right, and now it’s over. We return to our wilderness lives, our days overflowing with emptiness. Before long, if we’re not careful, it can almost feel as though the whole season never happened. The memory of the manger is shoved aside in our busy-ness.

Before we know it, the spiritual tank is nearly empty and we are searching for something—anything—to fill it.

Years ago, a friend gave me a “one-piece” nativity: stable, manger, Mary and Joseph, all in one, carved from olivewood. I leave this small reminder out year-round, placed unobtrusively on my hutch. It serves me well when I find myself wandering in the wilderness.

This week, pay special attention to your “tank.” Let your heart rest in the memory of the manger.




Monday, January 13 After his baptism, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, where he faced forty days of temptation. Where do you face temptation in your life? Pray to be led by the Spirit. Matthew 4:1-11

Tuesday, January 14 Do you have a spiritual mentor, someone to whom you can turn when your soul is troubled? Give thanks for their presence in your life. (Send a note of appreciation.) Isaiah 42:1-9

Wednesday, January 15 To whom do you serve as a spiritual guide? (You do, you know.) Pause and reflect for a moment; pray for your relationship with that person. Luke 2:41-52

Thursday, January 16 Pray today for the spiritual leaders, both professional and lay, at your house or worship. Ask the Lord to protect and keep them as they lead. Romans 1:8-10

Friday, January 17 Today, make opportunities to be deliberately kind to someone you might otherwise not engage. Whether you offer a smile or a cup of coffee, be Jesus. Top off another’s spiritual tank. Galatians 3:26-28

Saturday, January 18 As you pray for yourself today, allow God to affirm the unique creation that is you. Name a few qualities that make you, you. Proverbs 19:21

Sunday, January 19 As we gather again for worship, focus your gaze upward—literally and spiritually. Absorb the beauty of sight, sound and Children of God that surrounds you. Genesis 28:16-17


In all our searching, the only thing we’ve found 
that makes the emptiness bearable is each other. –Carl Sagan


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