TRUE EMPTINESS - THE ABSENCE OF GOD

SOLEMN WHISPER DEVOTIONAL

Friday, 28th August, 2020

TRUE EMPTINESS - THE ABSENCE OF GOD

(Jdg. 16:20; Jhn. 15:5)

MEMORY VERSE: "...For apart from me you can do nothing" (Jhn. 15:5c).

In creation, God brought forth fish by speaking to water and grass by speaking to earth (soil). But when it was time to make man, He spoke to himself, "let us make man in our image..." (Gen. 1:26). So, while fish has its root in water, and grass in earth (soil), man's root is in God. He, therefore, becomes empty when disconnected from God as fish dies when removed from water, and grasses wither when uprooted from the earth.

Samson had a Nazarite consecration from birth with 7 locks on his head symbolic of his connection with God as long as no razor touched them (Jdg. 16:17). Until the day the symbol of connection was shaved off his head on the laps of Delilah, he was full of incredible strength from God. He then became void of his divine endowment and as any other man, weak, because the Lord had departed from him.

A group of students was asked to peep into a tank and describe what they saw. All described the tank as being empty except one who noted that the tank was rather full of air (though invisible). This explains how emptiness could also be described as, being full of nothing (vanity). And so, one might be full of vigour, fame, wealth, and diverse abilities, if God is not a part of one's life, he is as empty as the tank; full of vanity.

King Solomon, after he had tasted pleasure, wine, greatness and fame, confessed thus: "vanity of vanities...all is vanity" (Ecc. 12:8). And that the whole duty of man is to fear God and obey His commands (Ecc. 12:13) as nothing in life gives true satisfaction than seeking after Him.

We are God's children and as branches hold tightly to the vine, we must remain uncompromisingly fixed in Christ and He in us. Until then, we remain empty, unfulfilled and fruitless; for without him, we can do absolutely nothing.

PRAYER: Dear Father, fill me up till I overflow. I submit all areas of my life to you; I leave no room for vanity.

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Fabiyi, Sunday Oluwaseun