Yesterday, I sent my daughters to get a head start in a clothing store, while I made a quick stop at the AT&T store. As I crossed the aisle to find my daughters, I saw a tall, thin, older man walking with purpose. He had a thick head of grayish white hair parted to the side and big, dark-rimmed glasses and looked quite dignified. I hesitated, thinking he may let me step in front of him, but not wanting to assume anything.
He barreled towards me and as he got close, he glared at me and said in a hard voice, “you’re wrong if you think I’m moving” and continued walking past me. I don’t think I have ever been so surprised in my life! To be so rudely treated was surprising but for it to be by someone so dignified-looking, well, I think you could have knocked me over with a feather. Well, at least after I yelled after him that he was quite a gentleman! (probably shouldn’t have done that…)
This world is so full of people who only care about their agenda, their purposes, and their lives. And the scary thing is– if I am not careful, I can quickly become one of them. It is so easy to get caught up in my own selfish world.
A few years ago, a young man named Chris Sligh sang the following song. I can never listen to this song without feeling convicted of my selfishness. I think how true it is that selfish ambitions are vain and that pride is like a poison and then I sing along with Chris, “empty me of me, so I can be filled with You”.
EMTPY ME
I’ve had just enough of the spotlight
When it burns bright
To see how it gets in the blood
And I’ve tasted my share
Of the sweet life
And the wild ride
And found a little is not quite enough
I know how i can stray
And how fast my heart could change
Empty me
Of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition
And the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me
So I can be
Filled with you
I’ve seen just enough of the quick buys
Of the best lies
To know how prodigals can be drawn away
I know how I can stray
And how fast my heart could change
Empty me
Of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition
And the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me
So I can be
Filled with you
‘Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you
Compared to you
‘Cause everything is a lesser thing
Compared to you
So I surrender all
Empty me
Of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition
And the poison of my pride
Empty me
Of the selfishness inside
Every vain ambition
And the poison of my pride
And any foolish thing my heart holds to
Lord empty me of me
So I can be
Lord empty me of me
So I can be
Filled with you.
Filled with you
Empty me
You can listen to this song here.
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“Lord empty me of me so I can be filled with you.” This sounds contrite and spiritual, but is it biblical? http://www.discerningtruth.org/showthread.php?235-Empty-Myself-To-Be-Filled
I absolutely do think it is biblical. I think you may be getting at the new age goal to empty the mind. “Empty Me” is not a wrong phrase just because New Agers have taken it over to mean something else. But this song is saying something very differently and has absolutely nothing to do with that. I think it is safe to say that we cannot be filled with the Holy Spirit if we are full of selfishness and vain ambition. In your blog post you mention that we are to die to ourselves. I guess that is what I always understood Chris Sligh to be saying in his song. That is how I took it, anyway. I never, ever thought it meant anything about being like God and I doubt that is what he meant, quite honestly.