Full Service

I was in the DMV a few weeks ago to renew my driver's license. Normally just the thought of that busy place gives me shivers, but this time was different. I walked in with six of my seven kids, and after sitting them down, proceeded to the first counter. A stern looking gentleman asked me what my purpose was. Fighting the urge to respond sarcastically about my general life purpose, I stated my business. He printed out my ticket and an amazing thing happened. As he gave me the paper, my number flashed on the screen. I was dumbfounded. No wait at the DMV? That is just unheard of!

So I headed up to the counter and met a very nicely dressed employee. As he was asking me a series of questions to determine why I had waited three months to renew my license (he was happy to hear that I had not been pulled over and forced to comply with the law, and not so amused to hear that I just procrastinate a lot), another man approached behind him.

"Sir, I just wanted to inform you that the vehicle is filled and ready for your departure," he said.

Wow. I was quite impressed. Obviously this guy was much higher on the DMV chain than I had assumed when he began helping me. I had never seen someone addressed in such a professional manner, and he didn't even have to fill up his own gas tank! As I gathered the kids and headed back out the van, I couldn't stop thinking about how intriguing that exchange had been.

So now it is weeks later and I am driving to my Tuesday morning Bible study. Ten million things seemed to go wrong as I was getting everyone ready to go out the door, and I was pretty frazzled.

I remembered the DMV official with envy and maybe a touch of resentment. "I wish I had someone who would come tell me that I was all filled up and ready to go," I thought.

I don't think even a second passed before I thought, "Oh."

I do have someone who fills me up. In fact, He doesn't just fill me up when I have a long trip ahead of me. He doesn't just fill me up when I have an important meeting, and He doesn't just fill me up because my company pays Him to.

He fills me up every morning. He even tops me off throughout the day. What Full Service attendant not only gets you ready for your journey, but rides along with you as your guide?

Ours does.

How grateful I am that though I have done nothing in my own power to deserve it, God loves me so much that even when I'm feeling empty, I'm full.