In the midst of emptiness we find God!

In the midst of emptiness we find God!

Man has been programmed to look beyond his capability of using what God has already handed him.  The thought of seeking what is beyond us appears to control the ability to discern between what is useful and clutter that looks golden.  Does the feeling of satisfaction from piles of things really fill our desire to rest on treasures we may never use?  

Jesus warned about the Rich Fool who did exactly that.  “There was a rich man whose land produced a beautiful harvest.  He asked himself, what shall I do, for I do not have space to store my harvest?  And he said, this is what I shall do:  I shall tear down barns and build bigger ones.  There I shall store all my grain and other goods and I shall say to myself , now as for you, you have so many good things stored up for many years, rest, eat, drink and be merry!  But God said to him, you fool, this night your life will be demanded of you; and the things you have prepared, to whom will they belong?  Thus will it be for the one who stores up treasure for himself but is not rich in what matters to God.”  (Lk 12: 16 - 21).  

There are times when we are similar to this fool, but our treasure consists of power over other people.  How easy it becomes to control another person or groups of those under our tutelage where our word is final.  

These incidents are when the very depth of emptiness leaves a hole that we cannot seem to fill on our own.  As much as we reflect upon the power we have over others the more we find there must be something better, but are at a loss to understand.

In the”Wilderness” article I wrote,  it is said when we are alone and empty it is God who can and will fill that longing which is beyond us.  We also discover that there is a dryness which will only be refreshed by God as the desire to empty that control over others occurs once we open ourselves to the one who seeks our sin of greed and avarice.  

God created us to follow the goodness of his essence, but after the Fall we now had to till the land.  However, in doing the work of building the world, we were not expected to rule over people with a sense of control, but to share in building his kingdom, equally.  If we are gifted with the ability to be in charge, execute that with love as God has with us.  

Each one must share the gifts we are given to make the world what God created us to perform.  Some do follow this mandate, but unfortunately too many do not.  Is it too much to expect the results of enduring our part of moving the kingdom for all in lieu of just ourselves?  Emptiness can come at any moment and those of us who hold to self-interest only will succumb to the wealth we have chosen to sit and watch as our lives deteriorate from greed.

Ralph B. Hathaway