Empty to be full

I am at Archbishops' Council today in Sheffield, and it is always hard work. Long meetings, challenging agendas, complex papers to read and master, and highly intelligent people to discuss with. Even someone as confident as me, feels small in a place like this. But the joy of being here, is to hang out with the Archbishop of Canterbury, and to hear his remarks in Chapel when we meet for worship. He speaks without notes, just reflecting on the Bible reading. He is always a joy to listen to, and such wisdom he gives! Today he was especially on form, and I wanted to share what he said. We had the reading from Ephesians 1:15-23, and Archbishop Rowan decided to focus on the last part of that "the church, whcih is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all"

What is that fullness? The Church so often thinks its about words, and actions and we fill church with activity and busyness. But Rowan argued it is only when we empty ourselves, do we create the space for God to come in his fullness. Our hearts need to be hollowed out through faith and trust, creating space for God to inhabit. We need a willingness to empty ourselves. The alternative is we are too full of ourselves. We need, said Archbishop Rowan, to model a life not full of itself, but a life full of resurrection fullness. When we create the space, God comes in. It is what the Hebrews called the "shekinah" presence, the glory of God.

Archbishop Rowan said "the church is where the fullness of God takes up residence". I think I need to do a little emptying.....