Throw Open the Windows, Spring is Here

 “…so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” (Eph 3:17)

 – kind of like a haircut. The gray dark winter is giving way to the verdant brightening spring. It is always at this turning point that Lent comes. I think of Lent as a spring cleaning with the fresh wind of God’s Spirit bringing new life. 

 In Ephesians 3, Paul uses the interesting phrase that Christ may ‘dwell’ in our hearts. Dwell is the same language used in the Old Testament to talk about God being with His people. It is a clear link to God dwelling with His people in the tabernacle so that wherever they went, God was there. Later, the temple was built so that God was at the center of the nation. When Christ ascended to be with the Father, He sent His Holy Spirit. Paul speaks of this as Christ ‘dwelling’ in us. In other words, we have become the new temple. Wherever we go, God is with us. There is no height nor depth we can go that Christ isn’t right there. What a comfort that is. I digress a little. 

The point is that we are the home of Jesus. Sometimes we want to relegate Jesus just to a room or two. Perhaps we close the windows to the Holy Spirit because we don’t want to listen, be bothered, or change. Our spirit, our souls, our minds, and our emotions can get stale, dank, even moldy. I like the 40 days of Lent because it reminds me to intentionally slow down, invite the Holy Spirit in, and to give Him free reign in me. Many years ago, I would filter my prayers as if I were talking to another human being. There were things I would say and things I wouldn’t say. I’d try to make things sound better than they were or not quite as bad. I would look outside the windows to blame others. One day God said, “Jon, you know that I already know everything about you. Quit filtering your conversation and let’s get real.” At that moment, I looked up towards heaven, threw my arms open wide and said, “God, here I am warts and all.” It was unbelievably refreshing. My soul felt totally different. I felt kind of airy. Life seemed brighter. Relief and joy filled my heart.

Paul said, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (I Cor 10:19). It is time for you to throw open the windows and doors of your soul so that the fresh wind of the Holy Spirit can do a spring cleaning.

Happy Lent,

Jonathan