Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness:for they shall be filled. Matt. 5:6
Have you ever wondered why so many people today are in way over thier heads in debt, always accumulating more "stuff"? Keeping up with the "Joneses"? One man put it this way, "Buying things they can't afford with money they don't have to impress people they don't like." The fact of the matter is, in every man and woman, there is a "vacuum". A certian place inside that longs to be filled. Ironically the "Wisest" and "Richest"man that ever lived, King Solomon, in the book of Ecclesiastes, it tells us that he sought to find satisfaction in wisdom and knowledge, he gained grief and sorrow. He sought after pleasure, laughter, wine and partying but was left empty and unfulfilled. He built great houses, planted vineyards, gardens, orchards and trees. He had everything concievable but none of it gave him lasting satisfaction. The problem with so many of us is not that there is nothing to fill the void inside but that this void is so full of the wrong stuff. You see, to achieve true satisfaction we must first empty ourselves. There is a scene in the movie"Joshua" where the man is questioned why he is tearing down the remains of an old building and his reply was "Sometimes you have to tear it down before you can build it back again" Our lives, all to often, gets filled up with so much clutter, that there is no room for anything eles. People can't even recognize there need for Jesus because they can't find room for him.I heard someone make this statement when she was asked if she would like to become a christian. "I have enough trouble as it is". How sad. Often times I think that people see a commitment to Christ is yet another problem to add to the stack of everything else they are already dealing with in life. We have such busy schedules, work, meetings, games, appointments and obligations. Our time is kept so full that there is no time for God. If only we could recognize the fact that seeking a relationship with yhe Lord does not add an additional burden on us but in fact lightens the load. Jesus said, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest" Matt.11:28 It's OK to own things as long as they don't own you.But more importantly we are to "Lay up treasure in heaven and not on earth". We are to "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these THINGS shall be added unto you" Matt. 6:33 . My prayer for you is that you, #1. Recognize that the void you have on the inside is Christ shaped. Many things can fill that void but only Jesus can FULLFILL it. #2 As a christian we must stay focused on whats really important and not be influenced by this materialistic consumer driven culture that permiates our world. Let us ask God to empty us first and then fill us up with himself.
You think about that, Amen.
Randy Davenport