We are entering the last days of 2019, as much as I wish I could slow the clock, I’ve stopped trying. I can’t. I can’t make my moments last any moment longer, but I can decide what I will fill them with. this coming season is characterized by fullness, but it often leaves us feeling empty instead.
There are 37 days left this year. What will we fill them with?
The theme of thankfulness can seem like a broken record at thanksgiving, but I know my heart needs retrained by it. This year I’m seeing it differently… thankFULLNESS, emphasis on the fullness.
I get so caught up in the filling of things, filling the kids, filling the hubs, filling the lunchboxes, filling the church, filling the fridge, that I start to think that fullness is my job. It isn’t. Only one person actually fills.
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forever more. Psalm 16:11
In God’s presence there is fullness of joy. How do I get into God’s presence? James says all I have to do is draw near to God and He covers the distance to draw near to me.
John 15 says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love, if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be full.”
Abide. Stay. Sit with Him, just sit. He is the one that fills. Ask specifically for fullness in His presence. Ask Him to open your eyes to the fullness you have, instead of chasing the fullness you want. It is that simple. Ask Him to show you the blessing of His presence with new eyes. It fills us with joy like nothing else can, and it doesn’t ebb and flow; it’s constant.
Thank Him for the things we take for granted, like salvation and grace, forgiveness and prayer, and His presence with us ALWAYS. The best things are the things we can’t hold onto because we don’t have to white knuckle grip them. They can’t be taken from us, and they can also be freely shared without diminishing. Giving them doesn’t make me empty.
So many times we feel empty because we are asking to be filled with things. Things that we think will give us joy. I am not telling you to call off Christmas, things can be useful, and they are also gifts from God. But we get distracted by them and turn to them for joy when they can’t bring us that. I want to remind us to turn our eyes to Jesus for joy.
“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.”2 Corinthians 1:20
The word Amen means so be it. Notice that according to this verse we utter our Amen for God’s glory. We say "so be it" to whatever brings Him glory, not what brings us glory. God’s glory brings us joy.
Don’t wait for New Year, use these last 37 days to bring Him glory by basking in His fullness. Be thankFULL for His presence, which will travel with you into all your years.
Father, bring us what we really need: Jesus. The fullness of Him who fills all things (Ephesians 1:23), and then let us overflow onto our family, our church, our neighbor because we are no longer running on empty.