Filling Our Emptiness

This morning I am considering some verses from Paul's letter to the Philippians 3:17-21 NIV:

[17] Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do. [18] For, as I have often told you before and now tell you again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. [19] Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is set on earthly things. [20] But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, [21] who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

I was reading this set of verses, and was thinking about our present age - and was wondering what we have made our god (see verse 19).  The Greek word, here translated stomach, is the word Koilia.  It is translated appetite in some other translations. The root of the word is Koilos which is defined as a hollow place.  So paraphrasing, Paul says that these people have made filling that hollow place, that empty place inside them, their god.

Wow, now that hits pretty close to home.  I wonder how much time I spend reading from the Internet to fill empty time?  The world is awash in things that we can turn to so that we feel like we are filling that hollow place inside us.  We can turn to things that do that literally, as in food and drink and we can turn to things that do that emotionally, or mentally, e.g. TV, movies, Internet, etc.  The point Paul is making is that this type of activity, especially when it becomes our focus and what we think about, is dangerous and not what we as Christians should be doing.  That again hits quite close to home!

As Christians, we are called to have a heavenly mindset, to have our thoughts and perspectives rooted in our heavenly reality.  We don't want to spend all our time thinking about what Heaven is like, but instead are supposed to be engaged in bringing God's Kingdom realities, those that exist in heaven, to earth (See Matt 6:10).  We are supposed to learn our Kingdom culture and then be advocates for that culture within the world.

Becoming focused on things of this world, our TV Shows, our favorite movies, Twitter, texting, Instagram, Facebook, food, drink, our work, our hobbies, making money, takes our eyes and perspective off of Him and our heavenly reality.  Paul goes so far to say that people such as these are enemies of the cross.  Wow!  None of these things are inherently bad, but when they become our focus and what we turn to for satisfaction, our identity and fulfillment they take the place of God.  He is our provider and sustainer! He is the one we should be turning to for our identity.  He is the one in whom we should find our primary fulfillment.  As I was thinking about this, the analogy of eating all sugary foods came to mind.  They taste great, they fill us up, but they ultimately leave us hungry for more, because they are largely calories absent of any true nutrition.  The same can be said for most of the things listed above - they have no real eternal value, and they always leave us hungry for more.

If we find that we are filling our lives with things that are empty of real value and/or find that the focus of our lives is not God and His Kingdom, then repentance is in order.  Repentance means changing the way we think and then changing the way we act.

Paul in the verses preceding these was encouraging the people of the church Phillipi to press forward.  Here are his words - Philippians 3:12-14 NIV:

[12] "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. [13] Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, [14] I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

So this morning I am encouraged to look at my life and see where I am filling the hollow places with things that don't satisfy.  I am encouraged to press forward, to know Him and His plan for me. I am encouraged to work to attain God's perspective, and being to think with a Kingdom mindset.  This morning I am encouraged to repent and change the way I think and act.  I am encouraged to fill my life more and more with things that speak of the Lord, His Kingdom and character.

Amen!