The tomb is empty so we don’t have to be.
Will we remember that long after Easter Sunday?
A woman once pulled me aside on a Sunday morning during communion and whispered a desperate plea.
“What do you do when you’re completely empty?”
I admired her courage and naked honesty, Only by God’s grace did I know how to answer. I reached out, squeezed her gently on the arm and said, “Praise.”
I asked if she sang. She shook her head.
“Not even alone in the car?” She smiled and shook her head again.
I told her we invite God to fill our empty places when we open our mouths to sound His praises, whether we sing them at the top of our lungs or whisper them from the Psalms.
When we feel empty, we may not want to glorify God. We may have no words. We may not even care to tune into someone else’s praise. We may want to shut off the music and close our Bibles.
But the discipline of praise invites God to fill an empty life.
When you feel empty, turn on your praise music and force yourself to sing along. (Hillsong Worship is my favorite Spotify playlist.)
When you feel empty, pick up your Bible read aloud of God’s goodness.
(The Psalms burst with declarations of His majesty and splendor.)
If you feel empty right now, boldly declare these verses from various Psalms:
How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
I will sing of the LORD’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make your faithfulness known through all generations.
How great are your works, O LORD, how profound your thoughts!
For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
Praise the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, you are very great; you are clothed with splendor and majesty.
With my mouth I will greatly extol the LORD; in the great throng I will praise him.
For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the LORD endures forever. Praise the LORD.
If I could, I would reach out to gently squeeze your arm. I would look you in the eye and say, “Praise.”
Do it. God’s all-consuming presence will fill up your empty places. I promise.
Whenever you feel empty, set your mind to praising God. Keep it up even when it’s hard. Before you know it, your joy will overflow.
O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. —Psalm 51:15 NIV