Monday Morning Memo: Charging Station

I have written before that I am a sweeper-a-holic.  I can let other things go in my home and it doesn’t bother me…but having an un-swept carpet drives me nuts!

The problem lies in the fact that since I’ve endured four back surgeries, I have been told that I shouldn’t push a vacuum anymore.  That may be news to cheer about for some of you…but this woman didn’t like those words from my surgeon.  I tried really hard to continue sweeping and I did my best to carefully push the machine forward and backward so that it wouldn’t cause me pain.  Unfortunately each time of disobedience quickly reminded me why my doctor had given those orders.

So last November we decided to purchase a robotic sweeper.  In case you aren’t familiar with this gizmo, it is a vacuum that runs all by itself.  I can either schedule it to run at a certain time, or I can just push the button and it takes off on its own.  It moves away from its charging station, lasers the surrounding area so that it knows where to clean, and then gets to work.

The only negative is that it can’t sweep my entire home without having to recharge itself part way through.  Fortunately though, if it needs more power, it automatically returns to the charging base and powers up.   While it is recharging, I usually empty its dirt bin so that it will be ready for the next leg of its job.  Then, once it is recharged, it goes back to finish sweeping the carpet all on its own…with no help from me.

I’ve decided this week that I need to learn from my sweeper.  When I find myself feeling drained physically, mentally or spiritually, I often just try harder.  I dig my heels in and think that if I just work harder or put in longer days I’ll be able to be the person God wants me to be.  The problem with this theory is that, of course, I run out of steam and I become so used up that I’m not able to be productive at all.  That’s when frustration and despair can rear their ugly heads and there is no way that others are seeing Jesus in me.

I need to realize that at those times when I’ve used up all my power, there is Someone who is waiting for me to remember that I need HIS power to do what I’ve been called to do.  It is so critical that I take the time to plug into Jesus and allow Him to recharge me and refuel me for the task ahead.  It’s during that time of empowerment, that He is able to clean every crevice of my being…wiping away every bit of dirt and grime that I have picked up while in the world.

Are you feeling drained and powerless as you begin this new week?  Maybe it’s time you return to the ultimate “charging station” Jesus Christ.  He already knows exactly what you will face today and in the days to come and has already “lasered” out a plan that is perfect for you.  He will be able to empty out all the dirt that has crept into your life and replace it with His sweet Spirit.  His Spirit will then refuel you and fill you with the power needed for you to follow His plan and, as a result, others will see His image in you.  

 “God can do anything, you know—

far more than you could ever imagine

or guess or request in your wildest dreams!

He does it not by pushing us around

but by working within us,

his Spirit deeply and gently within us.

Glory to God in the church!

Glory to God in the Messiah, in Jesus!

Glory down all the generations!

Glory through all millennia! Oh, yes!”

 Ephesians 3:20-21 (The Message)