Read: 1 Samuel 12
Samuel had reached the end of his life. He knew it and the people of Israel did, too. After years of faithful service, he had gathered them to himself one last time to say goodbye. My bible titles this portion, “Samuel’s Farewell Address.” I can’t imagine how he felt looking out upon the people he had spent a lifetime loving and leading. What would happen to them after he was gone? Would their newly appointed king be all they hoped he would be? Would they remain steadfast to their covenant with the Lord or turn from it as they had done so often in the past? I wonder if he felt like a parent speaking to their child from their deathbed. I wonder if he felt the weightiness of having only “one last time.” Taking a breath, he closes his speech with these final words:
21 “And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty… 24 Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.” (1 Samuel 12:21,24)
“Empty things” is defined in the original Hebrew as “formless” and “hollow.” The definition goes so far as to call them “useless” things that are not profitable (“beneficial” or “good”) for you. They cannot deliver. They cannot save.
Israel was known for chasing after such things. And if we are honest, aren’t we all? How often do we run to things that will “numb” us instead of the One who will “change” us when we are weary, burdened, or overwhelmed?
In our emptiness, we absorb ourselves into hours of pointless sitcoms in an effort to “escape” the stress of our day. We drowned our sadness in a bottle of alcohol or piles of work that will keep us “too busy to feel.” We wake up in bed after bed of random strangers we fell into hoping to fill the void an absent father left behind. We, like Israel, grasp for anything and everything that promises to remove the ache of emptiness inside of us or at least “numb” it for a while. But, my friend…all of these things only cover our emptiness. They will never fill it.
NOTHING BUT GOD WILL EVER TRULY SATISFY.
In Jeremiah 12 verse 3, the Lord would say of Israel: “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water.” Born with a wandering eye, Israel had often searched for satisfaction in the empty idols of the foreigners in the land.
“Maybe this one will fill the void.”
“Maybe this one will lead us to victory.”
Even their search for a king had fueled by a desire to have what the other nations had – a king that would protect them and provide for them.
“Maybe a king will make us happy.”
Yet, over and over again, Israel found that in all of their reaching and searching and trying to fill their empty spaces with the things of this world – they were left only emptier still. Why? Because NOTHING BUT GOD WILL EVER TRULY SATISFY.
And that is why Samuel ends his final address with these words: “Only fear (reverence) the Lord and serve (worship) Him faithfully.” ONLY HIM, Israel. ONLY HIM, sister. ONLY HIM, brother. ONLY HIM.
He is it – the well that never runs dry, the source and sustainer, the Living Water that satisfies. ONLY HIM.
ONLY HIM.
Have you been searching in all the wrong places for an answer to your emptiness? Have you been numbing your need with “useless” things instead of going to the God who can satisfy your need? Today, open your Bible. Start in John. Start in Psalms. Start SOMEWHERE. And call out to Him. Right where you are. Invite Him into your emptiness. Turn on some worship music. Open up a journal and pour your heart out before Him and watch Him respond.
You won’t regret it. I can promise you – as one who knows, whose been there, whose found Samuel’s words to be true. ONLY HIM, church. It’s ONLY IN HIM.