The Life of Faith

By Hazel Holland

I sat down at my computer and wrote this post while I was waiting for the nurse in the operating room to call me back and tell me that Bob was off of the bypass machine. Apparently they stop your heart for a period of time during open heart surgery, and put you on a machine. Like a little child, I saw how I must rest in my Father's embrace during this time. 

The life of faith is like that of a little child.  We may rest in our Father’s arms knowing that we can count on Him to hold us.  We may rest in our Father’s arms knowing that His love will never let us go.  We may rest in our Father’s arms knowing that His endless wisdom and knowledge will protect our hearts.  Like a little child, we may rest in our Father’s loving arms knowing that He will always holds us close to His heart. ♥

His Heart is Wide Open

By Hazel Holland

 

Today I had problems painting this watercolor.  I kept getting my hand in the wet paint because the size of the painting was larger than what I'm used to.  I had chosen to increase the size of the paper because I wanted to have a larger space to paint hearts reaching up to Him.  But after I finished the painting I reduced the size of it, because not only was it too busy, but it seemed like it might be a distraction for this post.

You will remember that at the moment of Jesus' death the the veil of the temple was split in two.  This was God's dramatic way of telling the world that for all time and for all people the way into His heart is wide open to everyone.  God is not planning revenge towards those who gathered around the cross in hatred towards Him.  Neither is He planning to judge you because of your sins of selfishness, pride, or indifference towards Him.

The rending of the veil means that the penalty for all sin has been paid once and for all.  The way into God's heart is wide open because Jesus paid the penalty for the hateful, the cruel, and the ignorant.  The way into His presence is wide open to all of us, in spite of the wrong attitudes we so frequently have toward Him.  Since God holds no grudges against anyone, He is waiting to restore the hopeless, the helpless and those who are filled with fear.   He is longing to reconcile each one of us to Himself.

God made Jesus who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God in Christ.  To me there is no greater wonder in all of the universe than this.  If this isn't the greatest gift that God gave you then perhaps you haven't yet grasped the astounding impact, and timeless benefit of Christ's death for you.

God's heart is wide open to you continually.  If you've been building up treasure here, know that His heart is a far greater treasure awaiting you.  As you catch a glimpse of His goodness you'll see that you've already been forgiven.  So let Him wash away your guilt with His love so that you are able to receive His spotless heart.♥

When Being Right is Very Wrong

By Hazel Holland

What is a major obstacle that prevents Christians from being authentic?  It's when being right is very wrong.

It's when we speak the right words, but have the wrong attitudes.  It's when our words may sound wonderful, but they are hollow because we don't really mean them.  It's when we talk about love, but we don't love.  It's when we talk about forgiveness, but we don't forgive.  It's when we talk about acceptance, but we don't accept...

When our profession of faith is nothing more than outward show, it becomes nothing more than a clanging symbol to the world around us.  When we do the right outward things, but have no love in our hearts, we are showing the world that being right is very wrong (Mark 7:6-7).  And they are right! ♥

Jesus Challenges Tradition

By Hazel Holland

When Jesus said, "I didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" (Mark 2:17), wasn't He challenging the traditions of the elders of His day? 

In other words, wasn't He saying, "To those who think you are righteous, but behave like self-righteous Pharisees, I have nothing to say.  Since you have shut the door of your heart to mercy, you cannot receive My grace... not until you realize that you are more needy than those you love to regard as social outcasts and the misfits in society." 

"But to those who know you are sinners and behave like sinners, I have something to say.  If you have not shut the door of your heart to mercy, and are open for My help, I am fully available to minister My healing grace to your souls."

So here's the big question.  Doesn't Jesus continue to challenge the traditions of the elders of our day, too?  What will be our response to Him? ♥

A New Beginning!

 

By Hazel Holland

Before each one of us stretches a new year.  The old year is almost over and the new is about to begin.  So I would invite you to join me in choosing to let go of all the things that keep you trapped in the past... like regrets and resentments and self-righteous attitudes that prevent others from getting close to you.  I would invite you to offer apologizes where necessary, and to make amends so that relationships can be restored.

So how will you choose to live this new year?  Will you accept God's gift of forgiveness that He extends to you with an open hand, and then offer this same gift to others?  Will you acknowledge God's gift of righteousness that is already yours by faith in His finished work, and then share it with those who don't know? 

As you choose God's way of living life in this new year, He has promised to fill you with His Spirit so that you will choose to love others as He has loved you.  As you humbly admit your own weaknesses, He will be your tower of strength and lift you up in your time of need.  As you look to the cross you will be reminded that God reached down and took a hold of your hand before you ever reached out to Him.  He gave  you the greatest gift of all--Himself!

So let's begin living this new year with the brand new heart God has given us.  Let's remember that we are daily being changed into His likeness.  So that means there is always room for growth.  Although we may rest in the assurance that our sins have been forgiven that does not release us from being accountable to one another for our behavior.  Being reconciled to one another is a beautiful thing that happens to us as a result of God's gift of repentance.

So how are you and I going to live life in this new year?  In the light of His presence?  Forever grateful to God for His ultimate gift of love to us--Himself?  Yes!  And forever thankful for new beginnings!♥

Active Participants of Grace ♥

By Hazel Holland

Is there anything more contrary to the Christian spirit than having an unforgiving heart?  You know the scenario... when we choose to hold on to a grudge, or refuse to speak to another Christian unless they make the first move. 

The truth is... if we say that we have forgiven the person who offended or hurt us, we cannot at the same time continue to behave coldly towards them.  When we display cold love we deny the One whose name we profess to know.

As the old year ends and the new year is ushered in, why don't we determine in our hearts to let go of all vestiges of resentment, and all our attempts to get even.  Instead, let's hold up others before God in prayer that he might restore both them and us to His grace.  Let's allow the Holy Spirit to enable us to be active participants of God's grace and forgiveness.♥

Choose Love

By Hazel Holland

 

Whenever a terrible tragedy like this happens immediately the issue of gun control laws comes up.  And it should.  But isn't what happened yesterday at Sandy Hook Elementary School bigger than banning the right for innocent people to buy and own guns?

Shouldn't it be more about limiting the types of firearms that can be legally purchased in our society?  Most importantly, shouldn't we be making sure that people who suffer from mental health problems are prevented from ever gaining access to guns?  Shouldn't  this be at the top of our list?

Clearly the whole mental health issue needs to be addressed by our health care system and our local governments because it's not working.  For the last few years far too many people who have mental illnesses are falling through the cracks.  Far too many people who need professional help are hurting others in horrific ways.

Isn't it way past time for us to humbly admit that we don't have easy answers?  Doesn't our society need to set up better boundaries to prevent mentally disturbed people from hurting others?  Isn't it way past time for us to come together as a people and place everything on the table as we search for solutions and ways to protect the lives of the innocent?  Especially our precious children! 

Since God has given each one of us the right to free will, this means that we each have an opportunity to hurt or love others.  Although we can't reverse the unimaginable heartache that people are experiencing right now, we each have an opportunity to improve the daily lives of those around us by choosing to show love to them.

Let's decide right now that by God's grace we will choose to improve the lives of those around us by never using our free will to hurt other people.  Instead, we will choose love.♥