Empty to Fill!

God can speak in the most unusual ways to reveal His faithful love when we need it the most.

A few weeks ago while back in Colorado I was having a tough day. I just got off a two- hour phone conversation with a friend going through a horrific amount of pain. My heart was crushed.

I went downstairs to my office to attempt to prepare for the upcoming men’s retreat. As I sat there numb Patty hobbled into the room suffering from a freak fall a few days before, causing her intense back pain. As she gingerly sat in a chair across from me, we both felt burdened and didn’t know what else to do but pray.

Trying to lift “rocks” too heavy for us to carry on our own, all of a sudden a dam broke inside of me. I found myself on the carpet crying with uncontrollable tears, the kind of sobbing that makes your snot flow like a river. Sorry for being so descriptive, but seriously I haven’t cried like that in years.

In the midst of my episode Patty proclaimed ” ‘Empty to Fill’, Lord we need a fresh filling of your Holy Spirit as we have nothing left.” To be honest, I had no idea what she was talking about, I thought maybe her pain medicine was working a bit too well.   After we finished our time crying out to the Father, I asked her why she prayed those words, “Empty to Fill!”

She told me to come over where she was sitting and look at the wall. Sure enough you could make out coming through the paint the words “Empty to Fill!” She reminded me that 8 years ago our daughter Sarah painted those words on the drywall before we put the final coat of paint on. And somehow sitting at the right spot with the light on, the phrase was clearly revealed.

Our Sovereign God in His perfect timing knew exactly when we would need to read those words. I had just told Patty before we prayed I don’t think I can do the retreat, I have nothing more to give. After a busy season in Africa, an Israel trip, some spiritual warfare, Patty’s back injury, we were weak and tired.

The words on the wall reminded me of Paul’s inspired text from 2 Cor. 12:9 –

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me…for when I am weak, then I am strong.”

I held on to those words as I finished preparing to lead the men’s retreat. I shared those words with the men and told them how weak I was and how I needed a fresh filling of the Spirit. How faithful the Father was to send His Spirit to weak vessels and to meet us all in our weakness so that Christ Jesus and the healing power of the Cross can be our only boast.

As we live in times of uncertainty and feel overwhelmed by the world around us, take heart in your weakness, your emptiness, knowing the One who desires to fill you daily with flowing fountains of His amazing grace!

“My grace is always more than enough for you, and My power finds its full expression through your weakness!”