“As the hart pants and longs for the water brooks, so I pant and long for You, O God.”
Psalm 42:1 Amplified Bible
EXPLORATION:
“From Empty to Full” – Part 3
“What Shall I Do for You?”
“Fullness” – Containing all that is possible. Complete in every detail.
What do I have of “value” within myself?
“God does not love us because we are valuable. We are valuable because God loves us.”
Fulton J. Sheen
INSPIRATION:
“It is the heart that makes a (woman) rich. (She) is rich according to what (she) is…not according to what (she) has.”
Henry Ward Beecher
Our story begins when Elisha, the young prophet who came after the bold and devoted man of God, Elijah, was asked to come to the home of a widow. This woman was the wife of a man who was called part of the, “sons of the prophets.” These devoted men were trained in the schools of the prophets and were, in their own right, deeply spiritual men.
When we first meet this woman, we are told her husband died suddenly leaving her alone with two boys to raise. However, this wasn’t the worst part of the widow’s dilemma. Since most women at this time in history depended solely on their husbands for financial support, she had been left with no wage earner and, as the Scripture reveals, there were “creditors” who came pounding on her door wanting to get what was owed them.
Since the woman had no way to pay the debts, a vicious creditor decided to threaten her by saying he would take her two sons as slaves (2 Kings 4:1).
Just imagine if you were in this terrible situation. Your husband had died and while you were still grieving his loss, you were intimidated by a bill-collector who said he’d take your children away and turn them into slaves to pay the bills.
With a threat hanging over her head, this mother called for God’s servant Elisha to come and help her. When Elisha arrived at her home he asked a very practical question, “What shall I do for you?” Maybe he thought she needed his help selling some cattle or donkeys. Possibly he thought she had some land he could help her sell.
However, all too soon Elisha found out the real story. “Tell me,” he asked the woman, “what have you of sale value in the house?” Her answer came rapidly. “Your handmaid has nothing in the house except…” (2 Kings 4:2). And this is where we will leave this story for today, for like this woman, you may feel you have “nothing” of value in your life. You may feel as empty as this woman felt. It may be that your self-worth has been stripped away, piece by piece, and now the you that was – is in shreds. Your value has plummeted, and you shake your head wondering what there is in your life that God can use.
Please remember, this devotional site is called Transformation Garden. It’s a place where good news flourishes and blooms. And today is no different than any other. If you think there’s nothing left in your life for God to work with, I want to leave you with this encouragement spoken to Paul by Jesus, Himself, “My loving-kindness is enough for you, sufficient against any danger, for my strength and power are fulfilled and completed and show themselves most effective in your weakness”
(2 Corinthians 12:9 Amplified Bible).
The words below written by my dear friend Adrianne Gambucci should serve to remind you today that even when you find yourself feeling empty, trust that God is quietly and kindly at work, getting ready to surprise you with something so exciting…so big…so above, that you’ll be filled to overflowing, spilling over onto everyone you meet.
“Emptiness is a gift that opens us further to the transforming power of God.”
Adrianne Gambucci
AFFIRMATION:
“For in Him the whole fullness of God continues to dwell…and you are in Him, made full and having come to fullness of life.”
Colossians 2:9, 10
Amplified Bible
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http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/transformgarden/transformation-garden-apr-14-2013.html
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