I have been thinking about the need to post something new. It turns out, thinking and doing are two different things. While I have been starring at the blank page in front of me,it occurred to me, why I haven’t been able to come up with any new thoughts…I’m empty. I have nothing to say. I just want to star at the ceiling. I am almost completely useless.
My initial reaction to this obvious realization is to wonder why December has to be such a blitz, and is there a better way to make it to the finish line next year? I go through the process in my mind and wonder what could have been different so that I would feel less empty. If I had made certain decisions differently, would I feel more full right now?
These are all great questions, and there are some probably really good answers, and I’m sure that we will spend some time talking about it in January. However, in this moment, none of this really matters to me. It struck me that Christ came to this earth, with the intent to empty himself for my behalf. When he was born in that manger, the moment we are all working our butts off to celebrate, he knew that the ultimate goals was to leave this world emptied.
Our first Christmas Eve Service was this past Sunday night and it was packed. The people in our church with the gift of evangelism got together and invited thousands of their friends to our service, many of whom had never been to church before. At our 2nd service, that same night, the High Road Riders, Willow’s biker gang :), invited their friends and then invited veterans to be honored with a dinner and brought to our service, again, many of them not have attended church regularly.
When I think about all those people, whom God wants to reach out to, who are hearing the gospel message clearly, maybe for the first time, I realize that the emptiness I feel is a good one. For many of us technical artists, serving in the local church at this time of year, we have emptied ourselves out for something worthwhile; creating opportunities for God to use our services to proclaim his redemptive plan, for untold numbers of lives to be changed for eternity.
On December 26th, as you stare glassy eyed at your Christmas tree, hear the Creator’s words to you:
“Well done, empty person. Come share your master’s happiness!”
