When "Empty" is a Verb

By Emily Wu, BJM Dance Director

When we feel empty, when there is loss, how do we handle what life is throwing at us?

Biblical hope is what I'm clinging to right now—the certainty that God is who He says He is, that He is good no matter what we're seeing, that He is making everything new even in these times, that He does heal the land and His people, that He is our provider, our comfort, and our constant in an ever-changing world.

In order for us to truly understand that He is our everything, we as His people needed to be emptied of the things that we were trying to stand on. If God is our rebuilder, He needs a clear, spacious place to rebuild in us. And in order for that clear, spacious place to come about, there has to be some emptying.

So, maybe the “empty” so many of us are feeling right now is not so much a state of being as it is a verb. In this time when we are being emptied of so many things, we can trust that God is going to refill and rebuild with a new, firm foundation.

I am currently practicing hope by studying God’s word to understand His names and the promises they embody. Names like Jehovah Shammah: the Lord is there. Jehovah Rophe: the Lord heals. Adoni: master over all. He's walking me through these names and promises so I can proclaim them to myself, and even more, so I can proclaim them to those around me as we all face this time of uncertainty, fear, and doubt.

As a planner/type-A personality, the amount of uncertainty we are facing right now is really hard for me. That stress can turn me into a wife, mom, and friend I don't want to be. Meditating on these promises has taken some of the edge off my demeanor and allowed me to be anchored in Christ and His promises. This affects not only my days, but my family's as well. Being with family 24/7 is only a blessing when I'm focused on Jehovah Shammah—the Lord ever present—and not on the shifting sands around us.

What is a characteristic of God you’re clinging to today?