Come Empty, Be Filled
"Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth."
— Hosea 6:3
Happy New Year!
A new year stirs up all sorts of emotions in me. Excitement. A new year will bring new memories, changes in my children as they grow, and new blessings from my Heavenly Father. Hope. A new year brings restored hope that some of my deepest desires may come to fruition this year. Renewed goals. Remember those things I said I would do last year? Well THIS is the year!
But with all of these good emotions come the others as well. Namely, Anxiety. Oh, how I hate anxiety. The list starts in my mind…. This year I’m going to run more, read more, sit still more, be a better friend, be a better wife, be a better mom, be a better sister, get more involved at church, read my bible more, pray more, volunteer at school more, make more time for myself (don’t I deserve that). I heap it on without even knowing it until the weight of all the “betters” and “mores” make it hard to breathe. It’s all in my mind, but really it all starts in my heart. Oh, how my heart wanders.
So, over the past week or so, the Lord has gently been showing me that 2015 will be another year of His hands molding and transforming my heart. Deep sigh. Am I ready? Most definitely not. You see, anxiety floods me because I tend to love so many others things/people/stuff more than Jesus. I’m reminded of this weakness when I look at my marriage and see how crushed I am when my husband doesn’t say just what I’m hoping he will say, in just the right tone, when I am upset about something. I’m reminded when my children are ungrateful and seem to not notice my heart for them. I’m reminded when the friends I so badly want to reciprocate don’t do so in just the right way.
You see, I’m realizing that I make all of the “betters” and “mores” (and the lack of those same actions from others) as my idols. I’m hoping they will fill me up but they never do. Instead, the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit in the early morning hours says, “I am all you need... look only for Me… look only for my approval." Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind"(Matthew 22:37).
“Oh Lord, this year, in 2015, I want to love you like that,” my heart is crying. “I want to pour my 'betters' and 'mores' out on you, but I don’t know how. Help me.”
Will you join me?
The Lord gently brought me to the book of Hosea recently. The verse I have written on my chalkboard in the living room is Hosea 6:3: “Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth.” What a beautiful picture. Only His Love can really saturate my heart… your heart.
Put out your cup and let Him fill it with rain.
Teacups. Come empty. Be Filled.