OUR DAILY BREAD : NOT ALL EMPTY

[cimi]

December 18
Wednesday


NOT ALL EMPTY

READ:
Psalm 107:1-9
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He satisfies the
longing soul, and fills
the hungry soul with
goodness.
__Psalm 107:9
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Our granddaughterJulia spent the summer working in an orphanage in Busia, Uganda. On the final day of her internship, she went to the children to tell each one goodbye. One little girl named Sumaya was very sad and said to her, "Tomorrow you leave us, and next week the other aunties [interns] leave.


When Julia agreed that she was indeed leaving, Sumaya thought for a minute and exclaimed, "But we will be all empty. None of you will be left!" Again, Julia agreed. The little girl thought a few moments and replied: "But God will be with us, so we won't be all empty."

If we are honest with ourselves, we know that "all empty" feeling. It is an emptiness that friendship, love, sex ,money, power, popularity, or success can never assuage__a longing for something good thing can remind, beckon, and awaken in us a greater desire for that elusive "something more." The closest we get is a hint, an echo in a face, a painting, a scene....And then it is gone. "Our best havings are wantings," said C. S. Lewis.

We were made for God, and in the end, nothing less will satisfy us. Without Him, we are all empty. He alone fills the hungry with good things (Ps. 107:9). __David Rope

````````````````````Dear Lord, fill me with Your goodness and love.``````````````````
`````````````````````I desire nothing in heaven and earth but You.```````````````````
```````````````````Without You, I have nothing . Thank You for the``````````````````
````````````````````abiding satisfaction that we can find in You.`````````````````````
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God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from
Himself because it is not there. __C. S. Lewis

*************************Today's Bible Reading __ Psalm 107:1-9**************************

1 Oh, give thanks to the
LORD, for He is good! For
His mercy endures forever.

2 Let the redeemed of the
LORD say so, who He has
redeemed from the hand of
the enemy, 3 and gathered
out of the lands, from the
east and from the west,
from the north and from the
south.

4 They wandered in the
wilderness in a desolate
way; they found no city
to dwell in. 5 Hungry and
thirsty, their soul fainted in
them. 6 Then they cried out
to the LORD in their trouble,
and He delivered them out
of their distresses. 7 And
He led them forth by the
right way, that they might
go to a city for a dwelling
place. 8 Oh, that men would
give thanks to the LORD
for His goodness, and for
His wonderful works to the
children of men! 9 For He
satisfies the longing soul,
and fills the hungry soul
with goodness.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Those who have avoided serious suffering in this world can
sometimes become complacent about their spiritual lives and their
need for God. But those who have endured painful circumstances
are often more open to God's help. They, in turn, may become
instruments of praise for His divine provision. In Psalm 107, we see
God's aid to homeless aliens, captives of war, shipwreck survivors,
the sick, the hungry, and those with many other troubles. It reminds
us that Jesus attracted those in need of healing while those who felt
no need for grace were repelled by Him (Mark 2:17).