Are you tired? We run at a frantic pace these days. And there are so many things we are “supposed to” do. We are supposed to care for others and serve. We are supposed to work hard and not be idle. We are supposed to develop our talents and attend social gatherings. And these are all good things. Right? And yes, there are times when this is all we can do.

But, the first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve was to “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” (Genesis 1:28) We are really good multipliers. We are really good at being fruitful. We want lots of money, lots of things, lots of friends, lots of family. We want fruit. But sometimes we type-A personalities ignore the second half of this scriptural injunction.

I was listening to a really great message by Sharon L. Eubank, the director of L.D.S. Charities, urging people to take time to restore themselves. She said that she went to visit an old friend and career mentor before he died. This man was a “doer.” He told her that until this point in his life he had not understood the scriptural commandment to “multiply and replenish” the earth. He had multiplied. But he had not understood that he also needed to replenish. And he urged her to take time to replenish. This was the message from her dying friend.

Water cannot be drawn from an empty well. Plants cannot draw sustenance from barren soil. We must fill ourselves before we can give.

Jesus replenished. More than once we hear in scripture that Jesus went off to be alone in the desert to pray. He took a nap every once in awhile (and slept so soundly that even an ocean storm couldn’t wake him). He ate with friends. He took time to be with children and to enjoy others’ company. He delegated work to his apostles and He didn’t try to be a one-man show. He slowly finished business in Jerusalem even when a dear friend of his lay sick and near death. Indeed, one of the most alluring things about the ministry of Jesus Christ was its serendipitous nature. No hurrying. No deadlines. Ministering to people as they came to Him. In the moment. Loving. Talking. Listening to hear God’s direction.

Anne Morrow Lindbergh urged the women of her day to find an hour during the day for contemplation and reflection – to make an appointment with themselves. She said “[W]omen need solitude in order to find again the true essence of themselves: that firm strand which will be the indispensable center of a whole web of human relationships.” Men need this too. We should not feel any more selfish about taking time to refill than we do about making an appointment to get a doctor’s checkup or a hair do. This time is essential. It may have to be early in the morning or after the mad evening rush but find this time.

We need to slow down. We need to take time to refill ourselves. We need to step back. We need to talk to God and really listen. We need to replenish.