Empty



Deu 16:16  All your men must appear before GOD, your God, three times each year at the 

	place he designates: at the Feast-of-Unraised-Bread (Passover), at the Feast-of-

	Weeks, and at the Feast-of-Booths. No one is to show up in the Presence of GOD 

	empty-handed; 

Deu 16:17  each man must bring as much as he can manage, giving generously in 

	response to the blessings of GOD, your God. 



	From working with a tile setter for a period of time, I found out that the best 

way to clean up a floor or surface area is with the use of a sponge. By using it 

correctly you could be assured of extracting all debris and contaminating substance 

from the surface of the tile. I noticed, though, that there was a continual process that 

was taking place in the sponge that allowed it to be so very effective in doing its job, 

it was constantly being emptied out and filled up. As long as it was either empty or 

just full it was being totally dysfunctional in its intended purpose, but as long as the 

process of absorbing and dispelling continued there was effective cleaning taking 

place. This filling up took place as the sponge was first emptied out by squeezing and 

thus allowed to be filled back up with whatever substance surrounded it. A new 

sponge, even though completely empty, would require several squeezes in the bucket 

of water before it was actually absorbing at full capacity, and it became increasingly 

effective at absorbing the more it came to the bucket full of something. 

	It seems that there is a similar process that is continually taking place in us as 

tools in the hand of the Master. For us to be effective in touching the surface of our 

surrounding world with the substance of life there has to be a continual absorbing 

and emptying process taking place. As we come into the world we are like the new 

sponge, ready to soak up whatever is surrounding us, and as soon as life begins to 

squeeze us there is an absorbing action that takes place, causing us to take in the 

substance that is there, good or bad. As we come into the kingdom of God and are 

plunged into the bucket of the water of life, we are emptied of all the world's 

substance. We are squeezed out by the touch of the Holy Spirit, and from that 

emptiness there is a capacity provided for a complete filling with this new, fresh 

substance. There is often an immediate drenching of the area outside the bucket as 

we return to the world full and dripping with this pure, cleansing water. As the world 

presses in on us we are once again squeezed, pouring out the water of life to all that 

we may touch and filled up with the things that touch us there. While there is not a 

change in the purity of our structure, there is a taking on of the impurities around us 

and a need to be quickly submersed in the water of Life, drawing of its refreshing 

quality once again. 

	The more frequently this takes place, the more effective we become in 

fulfilling our purpose in the kingdom. As we come to the river of Life, full from 

having touched the world around us we are given ever-increasing capacity to absorb 

once again the glory of God. If ever this process is interrupted, though, there is a 

compromise in fulfilling our designed function. If we just remain in the river, ever 

full, but never being poured out there is no way for us to be emptied and filled anew 

with fresh substance. If we remain in the world and attempt to just keep touching the 

world, we will dry up and become ineffective at both purifying those around us and 

being able to absorb again the water of Life. 

	As we do return to our place of filling, though, we are to come full. Like a 

sponge that is most effective at absorbing when it has been full of something, we are 

to come full of a sacrifice. Whenever the children of Israel came into the presence of 

the Lord they were to never come empty. They were to bring as much as they could 

possibly manage as something to be given entirely to the Lord as a sacrifice. As it was 

consumed in the presence of the Lord, there was purification and refreshing that 

took place and an ability to go effectively into the world once again with the blessing 

of God. There is a great need when we come into the presence of the Lord, though, to 

not just come without allowing there to be an emptying of all that's in us by the 

squeezing touch of the Spirit. If a sponge is just dropped in the bucket without ever 

be expunged of what it contains, it will never become empty and able to be filled once 

again. While we come into His presence, full of a sacrifice of what we've taken in 

from our touching the world with His glory, there is a need to be completely emptied 

of it before we can attempt to be filled once again. 

	We are assured of continual refreshing in the presence of the Lord, but we will 

function as we were designed and be fulfilled in our true purpose as we come directly 

from having poured out the substance of life to the world and are full of a sacrifice of 

praise, ready to be emptied completely once again by the touch of the Spirit. There 

will be a continual cleansing, not just for our vessels, but for all the surface of the 

world to which we are administered. Let there ever be a Spirit-caused emptiness that 

is filled by the water of Life and poured out once again. 

	

Eze 47:9  Wherever the river flows, life will flourish--great schools of fish--because the 

	river is turning the salt sea into fresh water. Where the river flows, life abounds. 


4/5/04