How Can Empty Be Good?

Very early that Sunday morning, the women made their way to the tomb, carrying the spices they had prepared. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Jesus’ mother Mary. Arriving at the tomb they discovered that the huge stone covering the entrance had been rolled aside, so they went in to look.
But the tomb was empty. The body of Jesus was gone!”
Luke 24:1-3 TPT

The Tomb was empty

Dictionary.com defines “EMPTY” as:

  • containing nothing
  • having none of the usual or appropriate content
  • vacant
  • unoccupied
  • deprived of contents, to discharge
  • without knowledge or sense; frivolous; foolish
  • without force, effect, or significance; hollow; meaningless
  • without knowledge or sense; frivolous; foolish

Synonyms for empty: dry, vacant, uninhabited, unfilled, unoccupied, hollow, deserted, devoid, desolate, bare, blank, barren, flat, worthless, meaningless, idle

So how can empty be a good thing?

A search of the Dictionary of Bible Themes regarding “Empty” or “Emptiness” returned the following:

Scripture stresses the emptiness of human life without God, and notes that Jesus Christ chose to empty Himself in order to redeem humanity.

Human life can be empty Ruth 1:21; Ecclesiastes 1:2; 3:19; Ecclesiastes 12:8

Human attempts at fulfillment are empty

  • Work does not satisfy Isaiah 55:2 Psalms 127:1-2; Ecclesiastes 2:17; Ecclesiastes 6:7; Haggai 1:5-6
  • Pleasure does not last Job 20:5; Proverbs 21:17; Ecclesiastes 2:1-3, 25
  • Wealth does not satisfy Ecclesiastes 5:10; Ecclesiastes 4:7-8; Luke 12:15; 1Timothy 6:9-10
  • Material possessions are unreliable Luke 12:18-20; Job 8:13-15; Job 15:31; Psalms 49:10,12,16-17; Proverbs 11:4; Ecclesiastes 5:15; 1 Timothy 6:7
  • False religion cannot save Isaiah 57:13; Judges 10:14; Isaiah 44:17-18; Isaiah 45:20; Isaiah 46:7; Jermiah 11:12; Acts 14:15”

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Examine Your Faith! A Book Review

Examine Your Faith!: Finding Truth in a World of LiesExamine Your Faith!: Finding Truth in a World of Lies by Pamela Christian

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

“If your faith were put to a test – if you encountered a faith challenging crisis today –would your faith sustain you?

“Are you confident about what you belive and why you believe it?

“If you are not sure that your faith is based on a solid foundation, then by all means, you should examine your faith.”

In her book, “Examine Your Faith – Finding Truth In A World Of Lies”, Ms. Christian answers these questions in her own life by bringing together a careful and consise commentary of the leading world faith – Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism, humanism (including New Age), Islam, and Christianity, adding personal testimonies of people who practiced them. She provides the reader with a definition of sound faith and explores how truth is determinded and looks at evil and how the various faiths deal with it, in comparision to Christianity. The book ends with a case for Christ, where she encourages the reader to conclude with her that the Christian faith provides the best possible explanation for our world, the existence of God, the reality of pain and suffereing and the conclusion of evil (pg 194).

As readers we are priviledged to walk with Ms. Christian on her journey to examine what she believed and why she believed it as she was forced to examine her beliefs in order to find peace and have any hope at all.

While this book is not a “lite” read, it is both enlightening and educational in regards to the definitions, truths and falsehoods, and discussions of the basic tenents of the other world faiths descibed in this book ending with the discussion on Christianity. The book concludes with a case for Christ and Christianity as the only true faith… with no competitors.

Disclaimer:  I received a copy of this book through the “For Readers Only” group at The Book Club Network, in exchange for my honest review.  All opinions are my own, and no monetary compensation was received for this review.

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