The Beauty of Holes

“Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water [from the well] will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’ The woman said to him, ‘Sir give me this water so that I won’t have to keep coming here to draw water.'”—John 4:13-15.

“Holes are a good thing.”

As I stood at the reception desk of our co-op gallery, I agreed with this statement from one of our silver-haired artists. She had come in and noticed a space on her wall, a “hole”. All of us (65 artists) walk in the gallery door and with a glance can see an open space or hole on our wall. And that hole means that a piece of artwork is gone. A SALE! Yes! There is nothing like coming in and seeing a space on your wall and know a piece of your artwork is off to a new home. That is why to us, holes are “good.”

I reflected on this statement. I began to think about in life all the times where holes are not “good”. Most of the time, in fact. If I have a hole in my sock, it means it needs fixed. A hole in my hose—water leaks out. A hole in my attic–a squirrel got in. A hole in my pocket—my money fell out. Holes in my apples mean worms. I watch workmen filling pot holes in the road. And people filling holes of boredom in their lives with sleep, TV, or food. “Holes in reasoning”. “He’s got a hole in his head”. Even everyday sayings mean holes are not desirable. Usually holes mean something needs to get repaired, or that something is lacking, or that something has been lost. But not in the case of our gallery wall. Nor with God.

I think God is OK with holes in our lives. Our world naturally decays, all things wear out and break down, holes are a progression in this life. We work hard to fill them up. We fill up the empty spaces in our relationships, sometimes with good things, sometimes not. We fill up our empty spaces of time, we fill up empty spaces in our souls. The challenge however, is what do we fill these holes with? Do we fill them with the things of God, or more things to satisfy ourselves?

Jesus and the Samaritan woman–a well-known story. The woman talks to Jesus  at the well and she knew the empty spaces in her heart. She knew her great need for “more”, for “something else”. And Jesus was that Person who could fill her up so she would thirst no more.

God excels at filling the holes and empty spaces in our lives, if we will just call on Him. He desires to come to us and fill us with His Spirit, His Presence, and His life. We often run after other things to fill the empty spaces—jobs, relationships, love, money, etc…. things that will satisfy for the short-term but leave us empty in the long-term. What would happen if we came to God, expectant that He would fill the holes and empty spaces? I think our lives would be transformed!

The beauty of a “hole” on my gallery wall is that I get to fill it with another beautiful painting. It is a good thing. The beauty of holes and empty spaces in my life is that I get to fill it with God. How about you? What empty spaces or holes are in your life? How might God fill those today?

Prayer–“God of grace, thank you for filling the holes of my heart and life. I often try to fill them with other things, but show me your presence, that I may turn to you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.”