I have couple of gauges in my life that remind me that I’m about to run out of something.

In my car, the little screen in front of my eyes tell me when I am nearing empty in my gas tank. A lit gas pump comes on first. Then my approximated miles to empty goes to dashes. Then my fuel level light flashes. It would really be hard to run out of gas in my current car. So, I can thankfully say, that I have never allowed my gas tank to reach “empty.”

The other gauge that lets me know if I’m nearing empty is on my coffee maker. It has “fuel gauge” look to it and if the needle is pointing toward “F,” I know I have more coffee to drink. But as the coffee is poured (actually you push a little lever and the coffee dispenses below the lever), that needle moves to the left. Eventually, the needle lands on an “E” and then it’s time to make another pot!

There are times when I feel empty in my life as well. Separation from loved ones, loneliness, sadness, illness, loss or busyness are all times when I might feel empty. There are plenty more, but you understand the word empty in relation to my life.

While God is God and He can feel any way He wants and in ways we cannot comprehend, perhaps He may have felt emptiness in the very beginning. Genesis 1:2 (NIV) says, “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” What a description! It’s no wonder God wanted to create something of beauty.

Look at some of the terms. Formless. Empty. Darkness. Deep. For us, these terms might be related to how we are feeling emotionally. If we aren’t careful, we begin to feel this way when we encounter times of loneliness, depression, or change.

And here’s something to keep in mind, God didn’t want things to stay this way. He chose to create something better. Something more splendid. Something more uplifting. He created the earth in all its glory.

God doesn’t want us to stay in a state of emptiness either. He would love to take your life and create something beautiful out of ruins. Beauty from ashes.

God wants to take away all of your hurt, your anguish, your pain. He wants to replace these feelings with joy, love, and grace.

I do love Isaiah 61. There is such hope in this chapter. If you are in this empty place today, pull your Bible out and read through it. Take it to heart. Learn how God wants to heal your broken-heartedness. How God wants to release the prisoner. How God wants to comfort the mourning. How God wants to replace the spirit of despair with a garment of praise.

Isaiah 61 is the perfect passage for anyone who is hurting. God provides hope and promises that can take us from the depths of despair to the heights of favor. Don’t let another day go by without calling out to Him. There is no need to run on empty.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna