From Emptiness to Fullness

… that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Ephesians 3:19 (NIV)

            I lie in bed, listening to the rhythmic call of the Whip-poor-will as he perches in the tall oak outside my bedroom window. Sunlight peeks through the blinds, urging me to wake and seize this new day.

            As the fog of slumber dissipates along with the muddled thoughts that belong to the realm of dreams, the realities of my waking life cause me to sigh. I’m not ready to tackle the demands of this new day. My heart and soul feel empty before the day has begun.

            I slip into prayer, soaking in God’s presence like parched land soaks in the rain. Today, I need to cast my burden on Him more than ever. In that moment, I hear God speaking to my heart, saying, “When you are empty of yourself, then I can pour myself more fully into you. For when your self-sufficiency is gone, when your earthly wisdom has run out, when your strength has petered out, and you have nothing left to offer, then I am truly able to pour myself into every part of you – not just to the brim, but to overflowing.”

When I stop relying on myself and my feeble resources, and lean solely upon God’s mercies, that’s when I truly experience complete Christ-sufficiency. My lack is my gain, for less of me means there is room for more of Him, as He fills me with every need for the coming day; His power, His love, His grace, His patience, His wisdom, and His joy.

            The result? It’s revealed in the following verse; God is able, through his mighty power at work in me, to accomplish infinitely more than I might ask or think.

            Empty so that I might be full; this is the paradox of grace.