Empty – are you empty?
As I ran today in the gloomy weather, the Lord revealed to me His glory in more than one way. He showed me He can fill us up with HIS glory. He provides in so many different ways! How did He show up today?
-Waterfalls and roaring water rolling down the mountain creek-
“Deep calls to deep at the sound of Your waterfalls; All Your breakers and Your waves have rolled over me.” Psalm 42:7
-Ducks in water by a dilapidated bridge-
“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” Matthew 26.6
-Rocks balancing on each other-
“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” I Thessalonians 5:11
-Droplets of water on the limbs-
“He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams..” Job 36.27
-Thorn bushes that have a odd sense of beauty–
“Thorns and snares are in the way of the perverse; He who guards his soul will be far from them.” Proverbs 22.5
-Random rocks tucked away in the root system of a tree–
“His roots are wrapped about the heap, and seeth the place of stones.” Job8:17
-An old rock wall–
“I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.” Psalms 40.1-3
-An empty house–
“I pray that God, the source of hope, will FILL you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
The empty house was at the end of the run. As I looked at it, I thought about how the house once had life. It is now being gutted for new life. This is the perfect picture of God’s redemption and how He redeems us from our past to give us new life. Eternal life in and with Him!
It also made me think of where we are in our world today. This last year made a lot of us fill gutted. It zapped the life away from us. We felt empty and sometimes still feel empty.
March 7, 2020 I ran a Boston qualifying time after a productive training season. I worked hard for that goal and I made it. I was living on that runner’s high when one week later the world stopped. The world changed. We started living life in a way we all never dreamed would be possible. This led to an empty feeling for most of us. It jolted us. It made us dig deep.
This year has been one of much reflection. One where I know beyond a shadow of a doubt we don’t have to feel empty because we have access to the living water to truly fill us up in these gloomy times. There is sun and a SON that can provide eternal hope for all times.
As God reminded me today during my entire run, there is beauty in the gloominess of life. Jesus! He can provide peace to help us feel full and full of life even in the deepest of despair when we feel empty.
How do I know this? Because HE is the only reason I am making it through this thing called life. This year God has put me in places I NEVER ever thought I would be. And He is providing along the way – if I let Him. That is the key. I have to be willing to let go of the hard stuff and let Him direct me and give me His strength.
This is my story. HIs story of glory. He wants to give! He wants us to ask. He is willing and waiting. We don’t have to be an empty shell because we have access to the gift of LIFE – eternal life. Fullness of His spirit is waiting for all of us!
Acts 2:38
And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
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