When I walked to the back of the church offices yesterday I was struck to by the void space that was left by the removal of the trailers. I both wondered what would fill that void space and what void spaces were filled by the meeting that took place in the trailers over the years. Lives were literally healed and saved by the thousands of AA meetings that filled our trailers. The biblical story of creation tells us that God fills void space with the Holy Spirit:

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. -Genesis 1:1-2

Sometimes filling void spaces is a thing of beauty such as the Pumpkin Patch. I drove by the patch yesterday and a few dozen people were exploring the wonders of this magical space. For 11 months a year, the space is void, yet beautiful, and then it is transformed into a welcoming place of wonder.

Filling void spaces involves transformation. During worship yesterday, Gray's sermon was based on the story of Zacchaeus, the tax collector who had cheated his people. We can only wonder the void Zacchaeus felt in his soul, in his community and with his God. Seeing Zacchaeus up a tree, a strange space to encounter God to say the least, Jesus beckoned to him:

Zacchaeus, come down immediately! I must stay at your house today. -Luke 19: 5

The tax collector's life was transformed by his encounter with Jesus.

Today, salvation has come into this house... -Luke 19: 9

Whether it's through God's Spirit moving over void spaces in the beginning or Jesus entering into void spaces God enters into our world, our communities and our lives to fill our void spaces with the joy of salvation. How will you respond to the God of void spaces?

Prayer for Today

Gracious God, fill the void of our lives with your Holy Spirit, so our lives will be transformed and we will be filled with the joy of your salvation. Amen.