How do we fill the void?
Filed Under (Uncategorized) by admin on 10-07-2008
This is a video I found on YouTube that interviews a man who frequents hostess clubs in Tokyo, Japan. A hostess club is a bar where you pay a woman to come sit with you and pour your drinks and basically hang out with you for the night. It’s not a prostitution thing and they’re not strippers (but they do wear skimpy outfits). The Japanese guy in this video gets very honest with his reasons for going to the hostess club. I think this is some good insight into a part of the culture of Japan.
I watched this video when Tony first sent it out to us and it has nagged at my heart for days now. I’m sitting in an extended stay hotel in a city where I know no one at all, and that void, that feeling of loneliness came up inside of me. I think about what this young man said about trying to fill that void, even for a little while. We do it with drugs, alcohol, food, sports - anything because it is very, very painful to feel that terrible, lonely feeling. How connected I felt to that young man, who unlike most people, could actually articulate why he went to these clubs - to actually be able to identify that painful void. I asked the Lord how does one fill that void? The only answer I have is that it must be with Him. He has to move into that spot so that no matter what we never feel alone. How do we get Him in there? There is no other way but to let Him in because He says He stands at the door and knocks. I conclude then that we must need to take action and open the door. We must invite Him in. It’s a deep, deep thing, that painful, empty void, one that most people don’t even like to admit they feel. This young man has affected me deeply. I will not forget him and I will pray that he will open the door and let Jesus in.