Shining in and Through
Canon 5D Mark ll, 100 macro 2.8, 2.8 aperture, 1/125, 400 ISO
My mom gave me these lovely seltzer bottles yesterday. I love their color and character. I set them on my kitchen table when I came in last night before I went to bed. Chris and I both went to bed feeling a little sickly last night and then woke up with full blown colds this morning. Both of us are exhausted, and now we are sick too. We try to take care of ourselves, but this has been an extremely busy season for us.
Time to rest. We no longer have a choice.
While I was refilling my hot tea today, I saw the bottles illuminated by the afternoon sunlight from my kitchen window, casting their colors across the table. They were beautiful, their glory shining in the light of day. They hardly seemed like the same bottles that I brought home the night before. Mesmerized, I walked over to them, studying them. Empty vessels. Was I like them? Empty and poured out? I am certainly poured out, but not as empty as I need to be, not to shine like that. Just tired. I feel the debris still rattling around inside of me. Fragments of busyness and selfish ambition that rush in to fill the ache of emptiness. I found myself in an immediate quandary over this truth. In order to be filled with the things of God, his light and love, I need to be emptied.
The problem is, I do not like to endure the ache of emptiness, and so I continually occupy myself with anything but. I want the fullness of God, but I do not like to let go of what is familiar and comforting.
And so, I pray. He says to ask Him when I need something. Even if what I need is his help to reign in my own will. My stubbornness. ” Lord, please empty me.”
I can no longer bear the rattle and battle of all the other things that so conveniently pour in to fill even the smallest of voids in my spirit. “Empty me, and fill me with You,” I pray again. I want to be like these bottles, filled only with your light and the colors that they have been given by their maker.
“I will endure the ache, if You will fill me with Yourself.”
Matthew 5:6 ~”Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
2 Corinthians 4:7 ~”But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves;”
Ready
Color and Character
Filled with Light
Open Heart
Made for This
Iridescent Heart
2 Comments
All of these are lovely, but that first shot is exceptionally cool–how do you do these things?
And the writing is well done, too. All of this before midnight! The world stands in awe!
Six more days 🙂
My favorite is the color and character. It shows how we as humans have cracks and crevices that only God can fill with the light and color. What I have appreciated most about your blog this year is that you find the profound in the simple. Just as our Maker. You have been an ENORMOUS blessing to me this year with your love, insight and talent. Thank you for being the amazing vessel that you are and sharing that heart with all of us. Many blessings to you! – Amy