“Running on empty … running blind … running into to the sun, but I’m running behind.”
-Jackson Browne
Recently my friend and colleague, Dr. Steve Cloud, gave a presentation titled “Filling Tanks in a Draining World.” The theme of his talk was that the world will drain us emotionally, relationally, and spiritually if we allow it to. He offered this parody of the 23rd Psalm to his audience:
The clock is my dictator, I shall not rest. It makes me lie down only when exhausted. It leads me into deep depression. It hounds my soul. It leads me in circles of frenzy, for activities sake. Even though I run frantically from task to task, I will never get it all done, for my ideal is with me. Deadlines and my need for approval, they drive me. They demand performance from me, beyond the limits of my schedule. They anoint my head with migraines, my in-basket overflows. Surely fatigue and time pressures shall follow me all the days of my life. And I will dwell in the bonds of frustration forever.
A comical rendition, yet one painfully descriptive of the lives many of us live. Clocks and calendars are great tools, but they make terrible masters.
The 23rd Psalm was written by David in his later years when he was King. He recalled fondly the memories of his simpler years as a tender of sheep. King David understood intimately the role of a shepherd. He borrowed wonderful imagery from his herding years as he wrote about how God takes care of us, His sheep. He points out, that among other things, the Lord “makes me lie down in green pastures,” and “He leads me beside quiet waters,” places David, or we, would never go on our own.
Sheep have gotten a bad rap ever since George Washington said, “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” He didn’t say sheep were stupid, but he might as well have. It stuck.
Actually, sheep are smart. According to a BBC article published in 2017, sheep have an impressive memory and recognition skills. “They build friendships, stick up for one another in fights, and feel sad when their friends are sent to slaughter. They are also one of the most destructive creatures on the planet.” They are, intelligent, complex, and social, states the article.
Sounds like sheep and humans are a little too smart for their respective good. Neither of us know when to rest. We have to be made to do so.
David knew sheep well, and God knew David well. David knew he needed to be made to lie down and to be led to quiet places. Perhaps he, like many of us, had to learn the hard way. Maybe that’s why he wrote the 23rd Psalm. I can just imagine David sitting in his chambers in the evening, in his mid 50s, a graying beard and a few achy joints, smiling as he recalled his earlier days when he might have thought he was invincible (see 2 Samuel 11), only to be led back to the “right path” by The Good Shepherd.
As my friend Dr. Cloud points out, we have a great need to fill our emotional, relational, and spiritual tanks. David knew that to do so meant taking the gentle nudge of the shepherd’s staff, and perhaps sometimes a not so gentle nudge. The Lord prods us to slow down, re-fuel, and rest.
Jesus’ professional career lasted only three years. The masses followed Him and constantly sought him for wisdom and healing, yet the Bible tells us, “Jesus often slipped away to be alone so he could pray (Lk 5:15).” He could have worked 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, but He chose not to. He knew what most of us know intuitively, but fail to act upon; that breaking away, resting, and talking with our Father is what keeps our tank full. If it was a necessity for Jesus, it’s a necessity for us.
How full is your tank? Are you running on fumes? What is your body and your mind telling you? The life lived at full throttle is unsustainable. The life lived at a proper speed is. Don’t allow yourself to be led to the slaughter by a culture that screams, “faster,” while Jesus whispers, “slower.”
Here’s a link to Dr. Steve Cloud’s 30 minute video presentation, “Filling Tanks in a Draining World: How to Make the Changes You Need to Have the Life You Desire.” This presentation will help you get clear about what you need to do to prioritize and protect your time, as well as give you action steps to do so.
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