August 2, 2024 Vacancy
Friday, August 2, 2024
Read: Matthew 12: 43-45 Vacancy
43 “When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 45 Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse
than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation.”
Matthew 12:43-45 ESV
On a visit with our granddaughters, 7-year-old Daisy showed me the small pillow she stuffed and sewed during a crafts project. She pointed to its areas of sparse filling and remarked, “It needs more stuffing, Gigi, but I already sewed it shut.”
Big sister Felicity reached over to offer a suggestion. “Here’s what I do…just cut the thread here at the corner, put more stuffing in, and sew it closed again.” Daisy wasn’t sure she wanted to go to all that time and trouble, so she tossed the pillow back in the closet for the time being.
When it comes to growing our faith and relationship with God, we can be like my young Daisy … filling ourselves with more of the Way, the Life, and the Truth of Jesus can be time consuming and take work. Letting go of a few bad habits, attending Sunday worship, and occasionally contributing food to the local food pantry when asked are all good things to do … but as a starting point.
As our passage today suggests, sweeping the house and putting things in order once is not enough. Trust me…I know. Over time, dust and dirt collect again. Without daily attention and maintenance, dust bunnies congregate under the bed, clutter gathers on the tables, and sticky spots of juice or crumbs appear on the kitchen floor.
The fullness of life that Christ offers requires our daily willingness to cut the stitches in the corners of our life, gather more the faith-filling found in His words, and press them into our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Reflect: How can you make yourself more available to be filled with more of Christ? Where do you need to “snip a stitch” and allow more of Christ to fill the vacant spots in your life?
Pray: Lord, grant me the patience and diligence to continually seek Your presence in my life. Help me to embrace the daily work of growing faith, filling myself with Your love and wisdom, so that I may always reflect Your fullness and glorify Your name in all I do. In the name of Jesus, the name above all others, Amen.
By His Grace,
Gloria