Emptied to be Filled

Written and photographed by Kathryn Kircher - Heartland Church - Fort Wayne, IN

Emptied to Be Filled
 
Chosen chalice, holy grail,
Earthen vessel, sin abated,
You deign to fill me with Yourself:
Common cup now elevated.
 
Emptied often by exhaustion,
Bruised by stress, depleted, torn,
Expended, poured out, parched, and arid,
By daily cares dried up and worn.
 
Frightened by my frail condition,
Tempted to old ways turn back,
But emptiness contains Your promise:
Satisfaction amidst lack.
 
Emptied to be filled again:
Will I resist this vulnerable state?
Or will I turn to seek Your face,
Let You, my King, this craving slake?
 
Bounteous table laid before me,
Living waters flood my cup.
Why would I turn from festal fare,
Let broken cisterns fill me up?
 
That brackish brew will never do
When all of heav’n’s abundance waits.
Choose life, my soul!  Let Him supply!
Your emptiness He’ll richly sate.


“. . . that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”  Ephesians 3:19b
Song: Christ is Enough - https://youtu.be/V9fTw9MLKAo
 
Why use a teapot to illustrate this poem?  Well, a traditional clay teapot from China or Japan evokes the benefits of allowing Father to fill us with His living water rather than the brackish brew that comes from our broken cisterns (Jeremiah 2:13).  When seasoned by repeated brewing of the same type of tea, these lovely little unglazed teapots begin to take on a rich, smooth patina.  They also absorb the oils from the tea over time, which ultimately enhances and enriches the flavor of tea brewed in them.  Increasingly, they resemble what has been poured into—and over—them.  That sounds like the Lord’s living waters flowing over, through, and in us: beautifying, filling, and transforming us.