Mr. Tibbs was out walking one day when he remembered that he wanted some large empty bottles. So he went to a dealer and ordered a case of empty bottles to be sent to his house.
In due course they were delivered and Mrs. Tibbs and her daughter, thinking that they had been sent by mistake, laughed at the thought of what Mr. Tibbs would say when he found that a case of empty bottles had arrived. They placed one on the dinner table, as if they had not noticed that it was empty.
"But," said Mr. Tibbs as he told the story, "it was not such a joke on me as they thought. It was no surprise to me to find the bottle empty. I had ordered empty bottles, and did not expect them to be otherwise!"
Now, many people are like empty bottles, but they do not laugh about it. They are greatly upset because they do not find that goodness in themselves which they expected. They know very well that they ought to be different, and they have tried to be, but in vain. They have struggled and prayed, only to meet with repeated disappointments. At last they feel they can struggle no longer and must give up all hope of being what they ought to be.
Perhaps you know something of this. You have tried to "be good," but you have not succeeded. You are terribly disappointed and do not know what to do. The story of the empty bottles is just for you. It illustrates the very truth you need to know.
God has declared His willingness to receive and bless empty sinners, sinners who have no goodness and no strength. "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." Romans 5:66For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. (Romans 5:6).
God knows that in you there is neither goodness, nor strength, nor merit of any kind. Your emptiness is no surprise to Him. But it is empty vessels that He seeks, in order to fill them with His blessing. It is empty sinners that He invites, that He may shower upon them all the riches of His grace.
It is in turning from self to Christ that we are saved. Salvation results from our giving up all hope of self-improvement and in placing our whole confidence in the Savior.
Our Daily Influence
Everyone is touching the life of somebody for blessing or for sorrow every day of our lives.
Do not live a lost life. Let Christ save your life as well as your soul.