EMPTY PLACES

When God began to create the universe, the earth was barren (void) with no form of life; darkness covered the face of the roaring ocean (deep). And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters (Gen. 1:1-2), to provide power in filling the empty places. Void could be described as being empty, devoid, fruitless, and desolate as well as condition of loneliness or deprivation; while formless could mean lifeless, shapeless, unbodied, nebulous and lacking order. God’s first production of the universe came out void and desolate as well as incoherent and formless. That was not God’s standard. It was just the first stage. Interestingly you may note that God did not give up or quit. More so, darkness covered the face of the roaring ocean.  God made the ocean to cover the earth. All these could not make sense to a natural mind; we see vagueness, voidness and amorphous as well as empty places. Yet God was on course steering the ship of universe building in a right direction. God’s Spirit stood sentinel on duty, moving around the whole earth as a mighty wind (Gen.1: 2; Psalm 104:30).

God is all knowing and the seat of all wisdom; conducts His plans wisely. He spoke light into being and separated it from darkness (Vs 4). He went further to bring forth the sky and separated it from the waters. The voice of God thundered and the waters flew down the mountains and through the valleys to the place He prepared for it. Wild goats find a home in the tall mountains and small animals hide between the rocks (Psalm 104:18). He set boundaries so that the water will never flood the earth again (Psalm 104:7-8). God named the dry ground land; named the waters and ocean (vs. 9-10). The land, sky and the ocean were still empty and lifeless – empty places in the heaven and earth. God built the foundation of the earth, and it was solid and unshakable (Psalm 104:5). All these happened within the first three days.

On the fourth day, God then started the new phase of filling the empty places of the universe. He commanded the earth (land) to produce all kinds of vegetation – grass for cattle and plants for man’s food (vs. 14-15). He filled the sky with lights – sun, moon and stars; separated the day and the night and showed the different times and the seasons (Psalm 74:16-17; 104:19-20). God commanded the sun (brighter light) to rule the day while the moon and the stars shine in the night – to separate light and darkness. “You created the darkness so the animals in the forest could come out at night. Lions roar as they hunt for the food you provide. As the light shines in the morning, the animals return to their dens while mankind goes out to work till the end of day” (Psalm 104:20-23).

On the fifth day, the Creator filled the ocean with living creatures; giant sea monsters and the entire living creature that swim in the ocean. He made birds with the capacity to fly above the earth. He gave the ocean creatures abode in the ocean and birds everywhere on earth (Psalm 104:12, 25-26). On the sixth day, God in His wisdom, ….the whole earth is covered with your living creatures vs. 24. – All kinds of wild and tame animals and reptiles. “You provide streams of water in the hills and valleys, so that the donkeys and other wild animals can satisfy their thirst” (Psalm 104:10-11). The Holy Spirit was still moving around the earth and God executing His plans of creation and filling empty places. In God’s agenda, all the earthly creatures have been made but there was still a vacuum left to be filled; the image of God to take charge and care for the earth.

Still on the sixth day, God created humans to be like Himself and make them rule over the fishes, birds and all other living creatures as well as become partner in creation. In a man, He made male and female and blessed them. He blessed them, “be fruitful (have a lot of children), multiply and replenish the earth (fill the earth with people); subdue and have dominion (exert authority and influence and control). Rule over the fishes of the ocean, the birds of the air and every animal on the earth” (Gen.1:27-28; Psalm 8:6-8). He provided all kind of fruit and grains for man to eat and nourish self; green plants as food for everything else that breath – food for animals and birds (Gen.1:29-30; Psalm 104:14-15, 27-28). God made a new abode in the east, a garden named Eden and put the man there; to tend, care for and look after the garden. God saw all He has created and it was very good; It was pleasant, suitable and satisfying that every empty place was filled. “Thus the heaven and earth were finished and all the host of them” (Gen. 2:1).

In the book of 2 Kings 4:1ff, Elisha encountered a Prophet’s widow who was devastated because her deceased husband owed a certain man some money and the man was on his way to enslave his two sons. The widow had nothing except for a small bottle of olive oil. Prophet Elisha asked her to bring forth empty vessels (in unlimited number); then go into her home, close the door behind her and her sons. Then begin to fill the empty vessels with the oil from the small bottle of olive oil, she had. The widow and her sons filled all the empty jars they brought until all available jars were filled up and surprising the oil stopped. Just as God in the beginning filled the empty places until they were full. When the available jars were filled the oil stopped flowing. Any where God sees an emptiness, loneliness, desolate places or pod, He fills. Also in Ezekiel 37, God carried the Prophet into a desolate valley full of dried bones.  God asked Ezekiel to speak life into the bones and resurrect the lives in the valley. Until the wind blew from every direction, life did not enter into the bones. The Spirit of God filled the empty, dry desolate bones and revived the lives in the valley. This is only what God can do; fills emptiness, and revive dried bones.

In the gospel of John Chapter 1, God observed a desolate town called Nazareth; it was so empty such that nothing significant; no prominent personality or any remarkable event was found in it. He decided to make an uncommon child to come from there. The Spirit of God visited a virgin and she conceived; an uncommon child was born to the family of David (Gal. 4:4). That son of a carpenter became the Son of God and their hopes were fulfilled. Jesus came to earth so we have a place in His kingdom in heaven. Again in John chapter 4, the Samaritan woman was tired of life; had married five husbands and was not fulfilled with the man in her life. She did not only have a designed empty pod but desolate and meaningless lifestyle. Jesus filled her pod with uncommon water that gives life everlasting. Her life that was desolate found meaning and peace with God through her faith in Jesus Christ. She went out to testify and won a city for Christ.

Human beings have longing for God. We feel incomplete and the quest to get renewed, refilled, fulfilled and satisfied drive us back to God; for this we express our emptiness in prayers and meditation. A virgin land is desolate and empty. When development sets in, the empty places begin to be filled with infrastructures, structures, and buildings. These bring in human elements for habitation and control (tends and cares). Then ventures that provide various human services emerge including luxuries. The empty places become lively and filled.

Human beings are created with vacuums only God, the Creator fills. These empty places some try to fill with pleasures, riches, greed and earthly treasures as well as idols yet they feel still empty and desire for more. They are neither satisfied nor fulfilled. For example: Some fill their stomach with junk food and yet still feel hungry. Many people are so full with junks that they have no place for God to enter and satisfy their longings. They need to purge themselves so that the touch of God may come upon them. If you buy a portion of land, whether you want to build or farm on the land, you have to clear it before you begin a new phase of development on the land. When the land is cleared, it becomes an empty place for investment or planting. The same with God, He looks for empty hearts or persons to fill with His Spirit. His Spirit brings uncommon things and happenings. He gives conviction, assurance of salvation, Spirit baptism, consecration, faith, joy, peace and sound mind as well as self control.

The Psalmist in realizing how empty he was without God prayed, “You, Lord are all I want! You are my choice, and you keep me safe. You make my life pleasant and my future is bright” (Psalm 16:5-6). “Some people trust the power of chariots or horses, but we trust you, Lord God. Others will stumble and fall, but we will be strong and stand firm” (Psalm 20:7-8). “All who are rich and have more than enough will bow down to you, Lord. Even those who are dying and almost in the grave……. In the future, everyone will worship and learn about you, our Lord” (Psalm 22: 29-30). The Psalmist also sang, “As a deer gets thirsty for streams of water, I truly am thirsty for you, my God. In my heart, I am thirsty for you, the Living God when will I see your face” (Psalm 42:1-2). What empty places in your life need God’s infilling?  Why fill your life with fears, sorrows, hates, gossips, slander, greed, lust and worldly gains?

God hates emptiness and loneliness. Little wonder He said, “It is not good for man to be alone” (Gen.2:18). He needs a companion (not a partner), a helpmate and soul mate. God did not create another man (male) but a woman to fill the empty place in man. Another man would not meet the blessing of fruitfulness and multiplication as well as replenishing the earth. A man needs a companion not a competitor, to successfully occupy Eden and fulfill the purpose of creation – “be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth…….” They were to yield into each other and to become one – a unit, and a couple; not a co-tenant or married but living lonely together. In the journey of life, some are empty, living without joy. It means the presence of the Lord is not there; the joy of the Lord is also a daily strength (Psalm 16:11). In bad marriages, the couples allow the spirit of God inside them to be grieved and withdrawn. This gives room for the devil that has been hovering everywhere to find a place to pinch its tent. Joy is a sign that life has found its purpose or its reason for being.

Many marriages are empty places looking for fulfillment and satisfaction elsewhere. They may live in denial and pretence but that does not make things right or complete. They turn to weeds, wine and sometime, outside people for fulfillment but often end them in disillusion. Those who have much riches and money are never satisfied. For example:  King David had many wives and concubines yet he had an affair with his servant’s wife, Bathsheba; planned for the husband’s – Uriah’s death and took over the deceased wife. It was for the same reason, looking for meaning that Pharaoh withheld the children of Israel in Egypt. Also, it was for a similar reason that Harman seek to destroy Mordecia and the Israelites. Did we forget that King Solomon had many wives yet he married foreign women who came into his kingdom with their idols? Some of the things that bother us in life are beyond our handling; are empty places that only God can fill or change. Some marriages suffer the agony of childlessness and medical experts have given up on them. Others are blessed with children but are empty on how to raise them orderly and with tough love.

Most organizations have vacant positions be it in public or private, business enterprises or Church or Faith based related ventures. Many are qualified yet roaming the street with rich credentials but are not hirable. It could be they are deficient in some vital skills or just need God’s intervention in their lives. Most countries are blessed with rich natural resources but lack passionate and diligent leaders to direct the affair of the state. Even when corrupt leaders or military juntas usurp  power by crook and foul means and sit at the apex of the state treasury, yet they have empty places and need God’s Spirit  to usher in God fearing leader to turn things around.

In the early Church meeting, one sermon won 3000 souls but today hardly do 3000 sermons catch one convicted soul. Then they preached Christ crucified and true gospel with fire. Today we hear more noise in the air with little or no conviction. One can perceive their covetousness in the messages preached in the pulpits, television channels and radio stations as well as in print media. Most preachers want to be politically correct and are afraid of being labeled insensitive.  The emphasis is no longer on lost soul but on lost gold, no longer on God’s grace but on Satan’s greed, no longer on heavenly treasures but on earthly riches (prosperity).

Then the Church was a spiritual hospital where Jesus Christ was the Chief Physician and Healer. Today the bill boards and poster show Jesus as Lord but the revivalist heals. Today the Church is a business enterprise calling for our investment – the more money you put in, the more dividend you share, power and authority you exercise. Are you then surprised why we have numerous Churches opened in the last 5years than 10 years before then? Do we not have a cause for concern? It’s amazing to know that the foundation of the Church is still solidly on Christ Jesus but her core message has changed. Let us return to God and plead with Him to fill her Church with power; to enable us live in purity and have heavenly fire, (not human strengths) both in our talks and lives. Often, men create empty places and make room for Satan to abode; we blame God, we blame Satan and we also blame other people but not ourselves.