Filling the Voids

This last Saturday my pastor was preaching on Eph. 2:14-21. He taught how we all have these massive voids in our lives, and they can only be filled with the love of Christ. According to Paul, Christ's love "surpasses knowledge" and we can be "filled with ALL the fullness of God. (v.19)." Also, in v.17, Paul says that "through faith Christ can dwell in our hearts." This was big for me! We all say things like, "I need Jesus." Or, "I love Jesus with all my heart." However, what happens when we are filling down, anxious, needy, depressed, etc.? We start grabbing the first thing that goes by to fill our voids. Right? Most people do this with people or possessions.

Think about it. When you are feeling needy or unwanted, what do you do? If you have a spouse, fiancee, best friend, whatever it may be, we fill our voids with them right? And what is bound to happen? They will prove every time that they cannot fill us. They will let us down because they are sinful just like us. So, we end up filling our voids with them, they let us down, and we have another void and want it filled again. It is a vicious cycle!

What Paul is trying to do here is to get the Ephesian church, and us, to understand the "breadth and length and height and depth" of this love that can fill us every single time. Last night as we discussed this at missional community, my pastor made a sweet point: If we go to God to be filled with this love that surpasses knowledge, do we really believe that He won't fill us. Do we believe that if someone else is seeking to be filled with this love, God will be like, "Uh, sorry Wes, wait til Jenny is done using my love?" No way!!! He wants us to be filled with nothing but His love. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!

In a culture where we need everything as fast as we demand (thanks to high speed internet, iPhones, etc.) we have become a demanding, impatient people. However, this love that fills with all the fullness of God is right at the foot of the cross if we would just approach the graceful God who willingly died upon the cross. At the cross He poured out his love on the undeserving, why would He not want to pour it out on us still?

Whatever your false Savior is: spouse, fiancee, friend, gadgets, money, let it go because it will only cause a bigger void. However, if you fill the voids with Christ, you can love the people in your life unconditionally and not get angry, sad, anxious when they fail you. Be filled with His fullness. Peace.