The word empty has echoed in my mind these last few weeks. Why, you may ask? My son moved into his first apartment. In my mind I know that is what is supposed to happen. Kids are supposed to grow up and move away and start families of their own. Moms know this and we pray that they will, but when they do our hearts take a huge hit. The now empty rooms in our houses echo with a loud empty and fear for them gets bigger. You see we no longer know when they come and go or where they come and go. We don't know what they choose to believe or how they choose to act. They are no longer under our control. For a control freak like me that is a big thing. So today I'm sharing my heart and word for the new year. Because I submitted my kids to God a long time ago and I taught them about Jesus and what it means to walk with Him so now all I can do is pray. Pray that they are safe and that their hearts seek the truth that they were taught. Not just what I taught them but what they allow God and Holy Spirit to work out in their lives. Prayer is the only way to make the empty less loud and the fear less big.
I struggled with that word empty as my word for the year because it seemed so negative. But then yesterday the word submission was added to the word empty. At first, they seemed like opposites until God reminded me that I can't submit to His plan until I empty myself of the pride, control, struggle and worry that is filling up the empty spaces. I must be willing to lay all my empty at the feet of Jesus so He can fill it with Holy Spirit and the plans He wants me to fulfill for Him. I just finished reading a book on the Holy Spirit and it reminded me that I must submit my will and empty myself in order to make room for Him.
There is a beautiful story in the bible in 1 Kings 17 about Elijah. He is running and hiding because he just announced no rain on the lands. God took him to a widow woman who was on the verge of running out of food. Her jars were empty. Elijah asked for food and when she told him she was about to make her last meal for her, and her son Elijah told her to make him food first and God would fill her jar of oil and flour until the rain came again. She willingly emptied her jars and submitted to the request and watched as God filled them over and over again. Eventually she was even blessed with the resurrection of her son. How wonderful is our God who fills our empty spaces.
In Galatians 5:22-26 (ESV) the bible says "22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another." Right before these verses there is a list of things we should not have in our lives. We have to empty ourselves of the worldliness in order to make space for the Holy Spirit. When we make space for Him, His power allows to produce these fruits of His. I can't do any of these in my own strength. Only through the power of Holy Spirit can I be a reflection of Christ and exhibit these beautiful fruits.
So, my challenge for the year is to let the loud noise of my empty house echo with my submission to the Father. Opening my emptiness for Him to fill with the worshipful song of His presence. Oh, I'm sure I will have daily struggles of control, but I pray that this year will be a year of emptying all that keeps me from fully living in the power of the Holy Spirit. James 4:7 will be my verse for the year "7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." This world presses in on me with all the negativity that makes the empty noise loud. The only way to overcome that is to be like the little vase and praying figurine in my picture, submitting my heart to the Savior so I can be filled.
Happy New Year Everyone! Take the time to seek what God wants for you this year. If you read this blog know that I love you and pray for you.
