Creating Holy Holes in Our Lives

To Make Room for God’s Wholeness

Over the last few weeks we’ve been talking about what it takes for real change in our lives here at Highlawn Baptist. We’ve considered the principle of Perspective – seeing the glass as neither half full nor half empty, but that the glass needs more water. We’ve considered the principle of Persistence – not giving up when things seem too hard for us to handle, persevering and trying and trying again until the change becomes a reality. And, realizing that persistence and perseverance is all about our role in changing our life, but there are times when we cannot do it by ourselves and we must turn to God for help. This whole process leads us to the season of the church year called Lent.

Lent is a time in our lives when God initiates change in us. Its beauty and mystery set the stage for Easter’s triumph. Lent, therefore, is not a human activity; it is about God preparing us for resurrection. Lent is a time to create for ourselves a holy openness for transformation.

Lent helps us reflect on how we see ourselves and how we see God. From beginning to end, Lent is a season of God’s activity. Nothing more clearly reveals that than the story of Jesus in the wilderness.

Jesus is in the wilderness. The devil tempts him. Jesus rejects Evil’s temptation. There is no human activity here. God in Jesus actively stands up to the devil’s sophisticated schemes. But we make a tragic spiritual mistake if we pretend that we can imitate Jesus, expecting evil to disappear. We can resist it. We can fight it. But, we can never pretend that we can drive it out as Jesus did.

Our transformation demands us to be active. Our transformation is created for us by God and not something we coax into existence.

So, from Ash Wednesday to the foundation-shaking event of Easter, God works in us to bring wholeness. This is salvation. Our contribution is to create these holy holes in our lives to accommodate Him. We create these holes in private spiritual disciplines like vibrant corporate worship, prayer, devotions and fasting. But it is God who delightfully fills those holes, pouncing on us with the tear-stopping celebration of Easter. We begin this month on that joyous journey.

                                                                                                 In the name of the one who challenges us,

Pastor Mark