I've Got a God Shaped Hole in My Heart

I’ve Got a God Shaped Hole in My Heart
by Wendy Elizabeth Middleton

For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Romans 10:10

There is emptiness to the human condition, a void in the soul of man. We try to fill this void with commitments, commitment to good works, to charity, or to family. We try to fill it with drugs, drinking, sex, money, music, art, and a thousand other things, but these only help us to escape reality for a little while. Then we are left empty and we don’t know why.
Sociologists believe that it is this deep-seated need that led early man to develop the concept of God. But where did this deep-seated need develop? Why do we have this need? Why do we have a need that only God can fill?

Because there is a God and we are separated from Him and we have a soul deep need for him. The need for God is intrinsic to our nature, and nothing else will fill the void in our soul except God.

There is an emptiness that gnaws at us like a hunger for something more. We need to love and be loved. All the money in the world cannot fill this void. Drugs and alcohol can only numb the emptiness. Pleasure and games of chance only allow us to escape reality for a little while and the emptiness is still there because it is a God shaped void and only God will fit and fill it.

"It is with your heart that you believe and are justified…" If you learn something by heart then you know it well. It becomes a part of you, and it travels with you wherever you go.

If you take the word of God to heart then you know it well. It becomes a part of you and it travels with you wherever you go.

Robert J. Morgan wrote a book that I highly recommend: 100 Bible Verses Everyone Should Know by Heart. I am not the best memorizer. I am especially bad about the chapter and verse of the verse. I know a lot of verses by heart but I can’t tell you exactly where in the Bible they are. But I do work at memorizing the verses.

I’ve tried carrying verses around on index cards and reading them several times a day. This works for some people but this is not the way I learn. I think best when I write. If I don’t write it down I’ll forget it by tomorrow. So I started my God in the Heart notebook.

I write down the verse at least as many times as the verse has words. This is great when the verse is John 11:35 "Jesus wept." But is takes some work and a few pages for the 23rd Psalm. But the time was well spent. And I spend my time like I spend my money - carefully and wisely, for the most part. 

Next I think about every word in the verse.
For example: Jeremiah 29:11

For                  Because I Love You

I                      I Am, God Almighty, All Knowing, All Seeing, God

Know               I am not guessing I know what I am doing.

The Plans        Plans - Plural – multiple plans. Big plans, small plans and     

                       contingency plans. Plans for when you travel off the path and 

                       plans for when others haul you off the path. I have plans to 

                       lead you back. I have plans to keep you with me, always.

I Have             Nothing just happens to happen, I got this, all of this, in hand.

For You           My plans are not generic. They are specific to and specific for 

                       each individual. I have plans for you personally.

Declares         Out loud and written down. This is not some secret society with 

                       exclusive membership. I am not hiding. I am right here.

The Lord         Of all and in control of all.

Plans               I have plans for every aspect of your life.

To prosper      A wealth of Joy, Serenity, Peace and Contentment. I don’t want 

                       you to simply survive; I want you to thrive.

You                 You personally these plans are for you.

And Not          I do not lie. I do not set you up just to watch you fail.

To harm          The world I created is corrupted, but I am still in charge. I can 

                       and I will take everything that this world intends for evil and 

                       make something wonderful. Trust me, no matter what it feels                           like, I am with you.

You                 My beloved child.

Plans              Every day, in every circumstance, under every condition. There 

                       are no coincidences, and I waste nothing. Every experience, the                         good, the bad and the really horrible, I can use to mold you,                             turn around for your benefit and help you to rise above and                               beyond your wildest expectations.

To Give           I am a generous father. I like to give wonderful things to my 

                       children. I made fresh air intoxicating, I made water refreshing, 

                       and milk sweet and I made a variety of foods delicious, sweet 

                       and juicy, tart and tangy sour and salty. And all of that variety 

                       is just the beginning.

You                 My beautiful, wonderful, delightful child.

Hope               When you stumble through the darkest hour of your worst day, 

                       trust me. I can see in the dark. Listen to the sound of my voice, 

                       that little voice in the back of you mind. I am always with you. 

                       Always. 

                       When you cannot see follow the sound of my voice and I will   

                       lead you home.

And                 And more, and more. Life abundant. Over the top. Look 

                       around. I do things in a big way. 

A Future         Every tomorrow is a new day – just for you. Use it well. 

                       And if tomorrow never comes – Welcome Home!

                                                                                     Love, God.



Now you try it. What is your favorite verse?

Simple – Ain’t – Easy
But it sure is worth the effort
- Wendy