Whether it comes to donuts, pie, or cake I’m all about the filling. To see a bowl full of food is inviting. Parents love having a full house of children and nearly everyone enjoys a home packed with friends. As a culture we see a glass half empty or half full. Fullness, filling, is clearly what we all want. It’s what seems to bring us happiness.
Psalm 103 includes the phrase “He fills my life with good things” (v. 5). We, as a society, are in the business of filling. We fill our stomachs, our homes, our resumes, and our schedules. Even after doing all of this we still find ourselves seeking more. It seems we are never quite full enough. It’s no secret we want to be full. The great news is God is in the business of filling and His fullness is offered to everyone.
Jesus’ first public miracle in the gospel of John is at a wedding. The bride and groom run out of wine for their guests. Jugs = empty. Jesus fills their empty jars with water and He turns that water into delicious wine for all. (John 2)
Hungry Elijah is directed by God to go to a widow’s home at Zarephath to be fed. The widow does not have enough water or oil to make him any to eat. Elijah trusts God will take care of it and, sure enough, the Lord fills her jars with water and oil so they never run out. Food abounds! (I Kings 17)
In Exodus 35 we see Moses being filled with the Holy Spirit and in Acts we see Peter and Paul receive the same.
Temples in I Kings, 2 Chronicles, Ezekiel, and Revelation are all filled with God’s glory.
In a vision from Isaiah we learn the whole earth is filled with God’s glory. (Isaiah 6)
The most stunning acts of filling by Jesus were done to people. He filled sick bodies with health and He filled dead bodies with life again. (John 11)
God’s love fills the whole earth in Psalm 119:64 and God fills us with joy in Psalm 16. Praise for the Lord fills the whole earth in Habakkuk and Jesus tells us in John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
My favorite example is found in Genesis 2:7: “the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” God filled Adam with life and Jesus wants that life to be full.
Emptiness is overwhelming and an empty life often produces feelings of failure, apathy, and depression. Even life with some of God's good gifts can feel inadequate. What does a full life mean to you? For many it looks like getting up early to exercise, going to work at a job that fills our bank accounts, coming home to a family that fills our time and need for attention, eating until our stomachs are full, and weekend activities reassuring us that we are loved and important to others.
Health is wonderful, but fades. Full houses bring smiles, but empty over the years. Food satisfies only for a time. Money either runs out or time does to spend it. Careers end and schedules become meaningless. Full life cannot be found apart from the eternal God. Only He can promise a fullness that does not fade.
To "fill” in Scripture could be interpreted a few different ways - to abound, cover, mature, or complete.
Wine and flour did abound from God's hand. The Lord covers the earth with His glory. God grants maturity in faith when persons are graced with the Spirit. Most importantly, God offers us a complete life when lived with Him. His good gifts only get us so far. Full life cannot be had without the Good Gift Giver.
A full life with Christ is possible for anyone. Understand God is the only Good and allow His goodness to cover your not-so-greatness. He does this by sending His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for our sins. He takes the punishment so we can have the reward - a full life with God, forever.