Don't you just love those chocolate Easter Bunnies in the stores right now, just begging to be purchased? While leading people to think you are buying one for a child in your life, you can't wait to get in the car, hunker down and bite the ear right off that thing.
After years of experience, you know it's one quick "chomp" and your goal has been realized. Realized, because the thing is hollow on the inside. No pressure to be exerted, no broken tooth from the force of impact. The disappointment from childhood, thinking you could feast on that rabbit for weeks, is no longer an issue. You know it's not solid on the inside and can quickly be disposed of with little effort.
Do you ever feel like that little chocolate bunny-hollow on the inside? If we're honest with ourselves, in the turmoil of our hearts and minds, we've either been there before or are there right now. It can be a nagging nibble that's there when your mind isn't occupied or a cavernous hole that you're constantly trying to fill with things that make you feel even more empty.
After watching a couple episodes of Horders: Buried Alive, these people say that they got to this unbelievable point in their lives by constantly accumulating things. Buying things made them feel good at the time. Then as things began to pile up around them, they became walls of safety and protection, as they tried to evade the emptiness inside. Invariably they admit they were trying to fill a void and it didn't work.
Jesus, the one who died, was buried and rose from the dead, left an empty tomb so that we wouldn't have to lead empty lives. He came so that "we might have life and have it more abundantly." He called himself the "living water" and says when He comes to fill the emptiness in our lives, he replaces it with "a fountain that springs forth into everlasting life." He fills us to overflowing, giving our lives purpose and giving us the promise of everlasting life.
People, pets, careers, cars, sports, hobbies, drugs, sex, alcohol, movies, internet, travel-not one or all, no matter how hard we try, can fill the void in our hearts. It's only a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the risen Savior, that will fill us up with peace and joy on the inside.
Don't get me wrong. He doesn't promise us that life will be a bed of rose petals, with no heartache or trials. But, he promises that he will be with us through it all, will provide strength when we are weak, comfort when we are grieved and rest when we are weary, if we come to Him.
You can't run away from emptiness, but you can run to Christ, he awaits you with nail-scarred hands and arms open wide.
Cathie Canary has spent half of her life in Beckley, W.Va., and half in Marietta. She has worked 25 years in vocational ministry with college students and now serves as Canary Co. in Reno, helping people in ministry and all walks of life with their nest egg. She is a member of Evergreen Bible Church. Thoughts of Faith is a weekly column written by various ministers and lay people.
