This Advent, I’ve been struck by all the places in the story of Jesus’ birth where folks are “filled”.

• Zechariah, Elizabeth and their unborn baby John are all filled with the Holy Spirit.
• After receiving instruction in a dream, Joseph is filled with assurance to go ahead and take Mary as his wife.
• Mary receives a unique filling. She becomes the Theotokos, the “God-bearer”, full of Word and Grace and Love and Truth made flesh in her womb.
• The angels are filled with song and the shepherds are filled with joy at the news the Messiah is born.
• Herod is filled with fear.
• The wise ones are filled with curiosity over the magnificent star, then a sense of purpose to find the newborn King, then awe as they meet him, then wisdom to go home another way.
• Anna and Simeon are filled with peace, knowing the promises of God are fulfilled in the child they have the chance to bless.

Filled by the Holy Spirit, a quilt by Lisa Ellis

This filling carries over into those first followers of Jesus. Read through the Acts of the Apostles. They are filled and filled and filled with the Holy Spirit again and again. Through that filling, they are able to preach Jesus boldly and do powerful works of healing.

To see visible objects we need the eyes of the body.
To understand intelligible truths we need the eyes of the mind.
To have the vision of divine things we cannot do without faith.
What the eye is for the body, faith is for reason.
To be more precise; the eye needs the light which puts it in contact with visible things;
reason needs faith to show it divine things. -Theodoret

The same can happen to us. Are we praying for full-fill-ment? Are we seeking the fullness of God with all our hearts? Paul is one of many who prays for it for. Let’s follow his example. You will find his beautiful petition in Ephesians 3:14-19. The new lyric you find below is based on this text, especially the last three verses.

14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge–that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

The Fullness of You
based on Ephesians 3:17-19

I desire the fullness of You
The height and the depth
The length and the breadth
Oh God I desire the fullness
Of Your love, Your love in Christ Jesus

Root me in Your love
Establish those roots to the core of Your heart
Root me in Your love
Grow them deep, grow them true
Tapping into the fullness of You

I desire the fullness of You
The height and the depth
The length and the breadth
Oh God I desire the fullness
Of Your love, Your love in Christ Jesus

Grant me Your power
Together with all who choose to believe
Grant us Your power
Light our minds, Shine right through
Till we grasp the vast fullness of You

I want to know Your love
A love that surpasses all knowledge
The full measure of Your love
You are Love, my Love, our Love, our first Love

We desire the fullness of You
The height and the depth
The length and the breadth
Oh God we desire the fullness
Of Your love, Your love in Christ Jesus

© 2010 Lisa Ann Moss Degrenia
You are welcome to use this work in a worship setting with proper attribution.
Please contact Lisa for information and permission to publish this work in any form.
Lisa is especially interested in collaborating with someone to set this text to music.