January 20th
Theme: Passionate Hunger
God sends no one away empty, except those who are full of themselves. — D. L. Moody
Many times, people approach God’s presence today, with built up walls of division between themselves and God. We show up before God full of self-opinion, self-consciousness, self-entitlement, self-confidence, self-reliance, self-assurance, and every other form of self you can think of.
The one word that captures it all is pride. The pride in us quietly resists every of God’s intentions for us because we are already full of all else but God leaving Him with no room to pour Himself into us.
There was this rich young ruler who had the chance to interact with Jesus. He wanted what Jesus came on earth to offer. He saw that there was still that need, void, very evident in his life. He saw what he could use to fill it up with Jesus but, Jesus told the young man he was already filled up.
The man needed to declutter everything in him so Jesus could have sufficient room, his entire life, to satisfy his hunger and fill his void. Unfortunately, the man was unyielding as many of us were. He already had his loyalty signed off to another master, mammon. Jesus cannot share the throne of his heart with another master.
Unfortunately, we are no different from this young ruler who was filled with self and could not humble himself before Jesus with a willing heart to receive Him regardless of His ‘demands’ (Matthew 19:16-22). He went away wallowing in self-pity but Jesus could not care less. The standard of God remains sure and unchanging (2 Timothy 2:19).
Sometimes, we are also not different from the Pharisee who stood before God reciting his spiritual CV and taking great pride in his outstanding self- biography. He was super confident with his virtues. How else should a man full of himself be described? (Luke 18:9–14).
It wasn’t that God rejected the Pharisee, he simply had no space to be filled.
We must always remember that anyone God will pour Himself into is the one who must first do as David did in Psalm 139:23-24. David prayed, ‘Examine me, O God, and know my mind; test me, and discover my thoughts. Find out if there is any evil in me and guide me in the everlasting way.’
When we allow God to search our hearts, it becomes easy how empty or how full we are. If we truly want Him we will, like the Tax collector, humble ourselves before Him. That way, we become justified by Him and get to walk in His everlasting righteousness (Luke 18:9–14).
Each time we come to God, we must recognise that God’s presence is generous. He is willing to fill those who are empty. He is ready to strengthen those that confess their weakness. He is very available to satisfy the hungry. It is that hunger that God responds to. The soul already full of itself has no capacity to receive.
The word of God confirms it in Luke 1:53; “He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.” The one who is hungry is the one that is empty. The issue is not God’s willingness to give; it is our willingness to make room to receive.
This is why hunger must be guarded. The more we encounter God, the easier it is to assume we no longer need Him as desperately as before.
True intimacy with God will increase hunger for Him, not reduce it. Those who have tasted God most deeply are often the ones who cry out for Him more sincerely.
Those who come aware of their need will never leave unchanged. But those full of themselves often leave exactly as they came. May that not be you, Sis.
Listen to this song, Empty Vessel, and make it your sincere prayer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiKUEUbn-3E&list=RDEiKUEUbn-3E&start_radio=1
Let Us Pray:
Lord, I come before You in humility of heart. empty us of pride, self-reliance, and false sufficiency. Teach us to come before You with open hearts and yielded lives. Make room in us for all You desire to pour out, that we may never leave Your presence unchanged. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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