Lord, today I come to You empty – needing to be filled.  Tomorrow I may come to You full – needing to be emptied.

how often I come empty handed into Your presence, offering nothing up to You – not even gratitude for Your good gifts, nor praise to You, which is Your due because of who You are . . .  I should come full of both  . . .

how often I come to You full, full of requests I want You to grant, full of my plans for myself that I want You to bless and cause to come to pass  . . .  I come to You so full I have no room for what You want to give me  . . .

so I come to You in need of both,  of both Your emptying and Your filling  . . .

Right now, I am empty, I need to be filled with Your peace, Your comfort, Your wisdom, Your forgiveness, Your joy, Your compassion, Your love for others – that I might share all Your gifts generously with anyone and everyone You send my way  . . .

my condition changes constantly, but You don’t change, Lord – there is no shadow of turning with You – I can count on You to receive me – in whatever condition I am when I come to You – I can come to You as I am  . . .

Next time I come to You I may be full, full of self and sin – needing to be emptied out so that You can fill me with good things once again – so that I can be of use to You once again  . . .

sometimes I come to You with a sick, sin-stained heart – needing Your healing, cleansing restoration of my heart

“Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”  (Psalm 51:10)

sometimes I come to You burdened by the weight of my sin – needing Your forgiveness

“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”  (1 John 1:9)

sometimes I come to You discouraged and weary – needing encouragement and renewal

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles;”   (Isaiah 40:31)

sometimes I come to You full of grief and sadness – needing comfort and hope

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.”  (Psalm 34:18)

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, . . . ”  (2 Cor. 1:3-4)

Lord, I can come to You, just as I am – empty or full, bruised or broken and bleeding – no matter what my condition I can come to You as I am, in whatever way, I can come to You as I am  . . .

sometimes it is with a limp that I make my way slowly towards You, at other times crawling, other times I am climbing upward towards You, climbing out of the pit life has put me in, other times I am stumbling, straining just to stand, or I am walking weary but resolute in pursuit of You, other times I run in a full sprint towards You,  – but this I know – no matter how I come to You – in whatever condition – in whatever way – You will receive me!

You will receive me, You will take care of my needs, You will fill me up or You will empty me out – You will convict me and You will comfort me, You will forgive me and You will purify my heart – whatever it is that You know I need, that is what You will do  . . .  but You will always receive me  . . .

“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ ”  (Matthew 19:14)

Jesus received them, He receives me every time . . .

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and whoever comes to Me I will never drive away.”  (John 6:37)

“Just as I am, without one plea  . . . Just as I am, You will receive, will welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve,  Because You promise I believe, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!”  (hymn)

sincerely,          Grace Day