“And do not turn aside after empty things
that cannot profit or deliver,
for they are empty.”
1 Samuel 12: 21 ESV
Empty nesters, a phrase applied to a couple
whose children have flown the coop. I resist the label. This season doesn’t
feel as empty as I thought it would. My life is full with both joy and angst.
Really nothing has changed, except the circumstances.
These days, I have more time to contemplate
my tendency to chase emptiness. How can empty things be so appealing? As God
told the Israelites through Samuel, “Empty things are empty. They don’t gain
you anything and they definitely cannot deliver you from the emptiness that you
have been running away from.” The Israelites had been delivered from bondage in
Egypt, moved into the Promised Land, got distracted by the local gods, then
cycled through their judges like fans and their American idols.
They tired of God and the judges, so they
asked Samuel for a king. Samuel consulted with God, who told him the downside
of having a king. But if his people were bent on having a king, he’d give them
one, and so started the cycle of kings.
In Samuel 12, Samuel confronts the
Israelites one last time about their tendency to worship other gods, and their
foolish desire to have a king. A surprising twist in the narrative finds me marveling
at God’s frankness about their sin, and His gracious desire to remain in
relationship with His wayward ones.
And
all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the Lord your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this
evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” And Samuel said to the people,
“Do not be afraid; you have done all
this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the Lord, but serve the Lord with all your heart. And do
not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are
empty. For the Lord will not
forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I
should sin against the Lord by ceasing to pray for you, and
I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the Lord and serve
him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done
for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept
away, both you and your king.” (1 Samuel 12: 19-25 ESV)
Basically, God says “Yes, you have done all this evil, but I
really want you to follow me. Return to me and stop chasing emptiness. I have
loved you with an everlasting love, and I am drawing you back with cords of
kindness. I will not give up on you; however, if you go back to your wicked
ways, there will be consequences.”
God tells us the truth and He gives us the way out. He loves
us and He warns us where the empty life leads…to separation and destruction.
Oh, how I want to turn aside from emptiness and chase the One
who is “full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14 ESV)
This is something w/ which I struggle, Kel, so I"m glad you addressed it. In fact, I was just reading in my journal this morning, where I realized in prayer before the Lord that my "shadow mission" is idolatry--another word for emptiness. I can get so caught up in vapidity. It strikes me that you talk about nourishment for the soul. You advodate things--things of God--to fill up our empty souls--things that bring real nourishment and satiation. I greatly appreciate your reminders constantly to do this. When we seek emptiness and idols, Scripture says we become like them. I long to be filled to the brim with God Himself and the things to which He calls me. Thank you for this great post!
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Lynni
Lynn- We are in this journey together. Not only does God fill us, but He uses the encouragement of fellow sojourners to fill us with hope and joy. Glad we're in this together.
ReplyDeletetruly a word i needed to hear today. thank you!
ReplyDeleteI, too! :-)
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