Why God Loves Empty Prayers
I started praying and it sounded just like this: blah, blah, blah, blah.
Okay, if you had been with me, you would have heard this: Father God, You are holy. You are awesome. You have all power and might. You’re worthy of praise. Thank you for all you’ve given me in life. Thank you for Jesus.
But, if you had been sitting with God, you’d have heard what He heard: blah, blah, blah, blah.
It’s not because I was harboring any more sin than usual. It wasn’t because I was using the wrong words or starting at the wrong place in my prayer. It’s because while my mouth was uttering words, my heart was just, well, empty.
It didn’t take long for me to hear the drone of my own soul and I stopped. I made eye contact with God for the first time in the prayer (don’t ask how this is accomplished, just trust that’s what happened). All at once, I heard what He was hearing and I finally spoke words that matched my soul – “You’re right, Lord. You got me. Right now, I got nuthin.”
Why was I speaking then? I searched my mind for real words to express what was happening inside at that moment. Nope. Nothing.
“You know, I want to be near you, Jesus. I want to connect with You, but I’m running on empty.”
That’s when I heard Him. “Then bring me that. Bring me your emptiness.”
What? That’s crazy. What does that even look like? I thought. But, what choice did I have? I needed Him right then. Wanted Him. Craved His presence; but when a word person is weary, words leave the building – like Elvis, like “that’s all she wrote,” like gone, baby, gone. Empty is all I had.
I was reminded of the poor widow in the Bible. Creditors were coming to take her children as slaves so she went to the prophet Elisha and asked for help. All she had left was a jar of oil. Elisha told her to go to her neighbors and get all of their empty jars. Lots of them. Then, he said to go into her home, close her door, and begin pouring her oil. She poured until every jar was full. She had enough oil to sell to pay her debts.
No human would invent our God. Who could imagine a God who says, “Get a whole bunch of empty and bring it to me”?
It’s not easy to face my own emptiness. Empty is never something good. Empty gas tank. Empty bank account. Empty nest. Empty promises. Empty cupboards. Nope. Not good.
Imagine being invited to a party and offering to bring an empty bowl or an empty platter. The only table you’d be a welcome guest with that kind of contribution is the table of the Lord. But what other table matters?
So I sat with the Lord – empty. I didn’t keep talking because that was ridiculous. I just prayed this, “Fine. Here I am. I have nothing to bring you. Not even words. But I long for you so I’m not going to budge from You, even though I have nothing. I’m just going to sit here with my nothing and You.” I sat for a long time. It felt like – sitting. Being quiet. Still. But it also felt freeing. This was honest. Real. Home. A place I can show up empty and be welcome. God’s heart.
When I got up, I had no grand insight. I didn’t feel especially holy. But I knew I had been with Jesus – empty – and it had been okay.
So, here’s the cool part. A couple of days later, a friend posted a note on Facebook about the struggle of striving to work toward a God-given dream and feeling frustrated, weary, and confused. In the midst of the conversation that ensued, I talked about bringing God our emptiness. What I shared was meaningful to the other people in the discussion.
Yup. I hadn’t seen it when I rose from that time of sitting with Him but I’d arrived empty and I left so full, I had enough to share with my neighbors.
What had I done? Seriously – nothing. I love watching God work. That’s what happens when I sit still and shut up– I get to see Him work and it’s beautiful.
Are you running empty? Let me know so I can pray with you. I’ll be one of your empty jars.
Why God Loves Empty Prayers – the surprising value of coming empty to God http://t.co/FYO5MxMmxv #amwriting #faith #AnsweredPrayers
— Lori Roeleveld (@lorisroeleveld) August 5, 2015
