Day Twenty

“This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee.
He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.” (John 2:11)

Scripture Reading: John 2:1–11

Christ performed many miracles during the time He tabernacled among us in human flesh. His first miracle was most assuredly significant. I believe the miracle He performed in Cana is still the most awesome wonder He performs for any willing seeker still chained to this earth: Christ fills empty vessels.

Nothing destroys life like emptiness. Hollow places deep inside of us never sit dormant. They are vacuums attempting to inhale anything within reach. Left unchecked, the clock will tick only so long before the life self-destructs. Christians are not exempt. We still battle overwhelming feelings of emptiness. We can possess eternal life yet never be “filled” with God’s love.

Please heed this warning from one who knows: if Christ has not been invited to fill up all the hollow places in our lives, we may be saved—but we are not safe! Oswald Chambers said it beautifully: “No love of the natural heart is safe unless the human heart has been satisfied by God first.”8 How many of us have attempted to fill our hollow places with something other than God’s love only to eventually find ourselves in trouble? My guess would be most of us.

How can we discover the safety of the fullness of God? Consider these two simple and practical actions.

• Fullness begins with honesty. Just as Mary stated the problem to Christ, tell Him what is missing in your life. Confess to Him your every vain attempt to fill it with things other than His love. Name every person and thing that has disappointed you and left you lacking. Recount to Him the cost of looking for love, acceptance, comfort, or healing in all the wrong places.
• Then, when you have been honest with your need, ask Him to fill you with His love and flood your life with His Spirit. NOT once and for all—but every day for the rest of your life.

When we allow Christ to fill our hollow places, inevitably others will draw closer to us. They will cease feeling as if we need more than they have to give. Only Christ can fill our empty pitchers. He is so anxious, so willing. He is the only One who will never be frightened by the depth of our need. Denying yourself does not mean denying your need. Denying yourself means denying you have the means to meet your need.