I’ve tried to void leaves from the ditches along our driveway and down the mountain road, blowing them clean twice so far this year. But on our way to church on Sunday morning, I noticed more leaves had fallen into the ditches and culverts— “as if I hadn’t done anything.” I sighed to Keith.

“Nature abhors a void,” he said. I had to laugh. They don’t call this season “fall” for nothing.

As it turns out, abhorring the void was God’s plan from the beginning.

The void is not good

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Genesis 1:1-2 ESV

The earth in watery darkness, without form and void, was not good until God said, “Let there be light,” and separated light from darkness, water from sky, land from seas, and so forth. He filled His creation with living things, creating mankind in His own image and providing them with food, and saw all He had made. This teaming creation was very good.

Until mankind disobeyed, again and again. Even then God abhorred the void.

God fills the void

 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. Isaiah 55:10-11 KJV

Here, Isaiah offers a poetic vision of restoration, declaring God’s power to transform the world. Although addressed to exiled Judeans in the sixth century BCE, these words speak to us today. The abundance noted in verse 10 engages our senses: the cool dampness of rain, the green landscape, the taste of bread. God’s word is the opposite of void; His word in life-giving.

And who cannot sense life while looking at the gorgeous display of fall leaves in abundance, knowing they’ll return in spring’s restoration?

Faith abhors the void

For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not in wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made void. 1 Corinthians 1:17 ASV

Paul’s teachings of the gospel make it utterly clear that faith in Christ is the only path to God’s grace and eternal salvation. Though baptism is not required for salvation, Paul expected that all who came to Christ would be baptized. Christ commanded His followers to both make disciples and baptize all who believed, as baptism is a step of obedience and a public declaration that a believer belongs to Christ. But He did not send Paul to preach the gospel with words of eloquent wisdom and risk making void the cross of Christ. 

Instead, Paul wanted his listeners to be persuaded by this simple, compelling fact: that the Son of God died to pay the penalty for their own sin.

A powerful message, which abhors the void of unbelief, as in the beginning, now, and forevermore. Amen.

https://fiveminutefriday.com/2024/11/14/fmf-writing-prompt-link-up-void