The Glitz, The Glam, and The Gap: Why More is Never Enough
Have you ever noticed how the "finish line" for happiness always seems to move just as you’re about to cross it?
We live in a world that thrives on the chase. We’re told that if we just had a little more—more influence, a more comfortable bank account, a bit more of the "glitz and glam" we see on our screens—the nagging sense of emptiness would finally disappear. We treat life like a construction project where we are one renovation away from perfection.
But if we’re honest, we’ve been chasing these things for a long time. And yet, the gap remains.
The Mirage of "More"
The ancient prophet Amos spoke to a society that looked a lot like ours. They were prosperous, they were busy, and they were surrounded by luxury. But Amos didn't congratulate them on their success. Instead, he described a people who had completely missed the point.
They were trying to fill a deep, spiritual void with "stuff." They thought that if they built bigger houses and accumulated more wealth, they could ignore the fact that their hearts were drifting.
We do the same thing today. We put God in the backseat—or leave Him out of the car entirely—and wonder why we feel so restless. We chase the glitz, hoping it will cover up the cracks in our foundation. But you can’t fix a structural problem with a fresh coat of paint. That "gap" we feel isn't a hunger for more things; it’s a hunger for the One who created us.
The Exhaustion of the Chase
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Let’s be real: the chase is exhausting. It’s dark. It leads us to a place where we start asking, "I thought there was supposed to be good news? Where is it?" The truth is, we haven’t been "fine" on our own since the third chapter of Genesis. From the moment we decided to chase our own wisdom instead of God’s, we’ve been trying to repair our own ruins. We’ve been trying to find our way back to a peace that we can’t manufacture. We’ve been placing money, status, and comfort on the throne where God alone belongs.
If he isn't in first place, we will always be hungry.
The Repair of the Breach
But here is the turning point. Everything changes when we realize that we weren't made to follow the way of the world. We were created in the image of God, and He has been calling us home since the beginning.
In the book of Amos, God makes a stunning promise: "I will repair its broken walls and restore its ruins—and will rebuild it as it used to be."
He doesn't wait for us to get our act together or to accumulate enough "glitz" to be worthy of Him. He steps into our mess. He sees the "gap" in our lives—the brokenness, the misplaced priorities, the exhaustion—and He offers to repair it Himself.
The Power of Easter: The Gap is Closed
The tomb is empty, the grave is defeated and the gap is closed. Easter declares that in the Resurrection, Jesus has done what we could never do for ourselves.
This is the message and the power of Easter.
Easter is the final answer to the "glitz and glam" trap. The tomb is empty so that your life doesn’t have to be. We don't have to chase "more" anymore, because, in the Resurrection, Jesus has already given us everything.
While we were busy chasing things that fade, Jesus was conquering the one thing we couldn't: the grave. He took our "darkness"—our failed attempts to be our own gods—to the cross. And when He rose, He didn't just bring us a better version of our old lives; He brought us His life.
The "gap" is closed. The Lion has roared in victory, and He is raising us up from the ruins. We don't have to look back at "better days" or look forward to "better things." We only have to look to the Risen King who is standing right here, repairing our breaches and leading us home.
Stop the chase. He is risen.
He is risen indeed!
Reflection Questions:
What is the "glitz and glam" in your life—the thing you keep chasing, thinking it will finally make you feel secure?
In what ways have you tried to fill the "Gap" with temporary things rather than God’s presence?
How can you practice "putting God in first place" this week to experience the rest that the Resurrection offers?
Scripture Readings:
Amos 6:1–7 (The warning against complacency and luxury)
Matthew 6:19–21 (Where your treasure is, your heart will be)
John 10:10–11 (Abundant life through the Good Shepherd)
Trade the Chase for Community
Are you tired of chasing "more" and finding yourself empty? Come experience the "abundant life" that Jesus promised—a life found in worship, word, and real relationship. Let’s stop running together and start resting in the victory of the Resurrection.
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