Hell exists. Hell doesn’t come from the bottom of a metaphysical pit in the afterlife. Hell comes from the unfilled spiritual holes in our lives.
The reason evil exists and persists is not because there are people sitting around plotting evil. The reason evil exists and persists is not because people are out there making a pact with the devil, horns, hoofs, and all. The reason evil exists and persists is because people are scared and frightened, and don’t know what to do with the spiritual hole in the middle of their lives.
We create hell for ourselves and others because we will fill that spiritual hole with anything we can get our hands on. We will fill it with materialism, debt, drugs, sex, greed, bigotry, selfishness, pride, and any passing pleasure that might help us ignore the void in our lives. We will literally create hell on earth in order to fill that hole.
Faith calls us to fill that hole with love. Not a sentimental, hand holding type love. But the powerful, moving, passionate, redeeming love at the heart of my faith. A love that strips away even our most cherished doctrines and theology, a love revealed in God’s naked grace.
I look around, and I look into my own fear. I look around at our world and see violence, hatred, starvation, religious and political extremism. I look around and wonder how big is the spiritual hole in our world? I wonder how much love is needed. I wonder who is there to fill it. I wonder if the church is up to the challenge of our times.
This is what energizes my hopes and challenges me to overcome my fears to launch a church.
The reason evil exists and persists is not because there are people sitting around plotting evil. The reason evil exists and persists is not because people are out there making a pact with the devil, horns, hoofs, and all. The reason evil exists and persists is because people are scared and frightened, and don’t know what to do with the spiritual hole in the middle of their lives.
We create hell for ourselves and others because we will fill that spiritual hole with anything we can get our hands on. We will fill it with materialism, debt, drugs, sex, greed, bigotry, selfishness, pride, and any passing pleasure that might help us ignore the void in our lives. We will literally create hell on earth in order to fill that hole.
Faith calls us to fill that hole with love. Not a sentimental, hand holding type love. But the powerful, moving, passionate, redeeming love at the heart of my faith. A love that strips away even our most cherished doctrines and theology, a love revealed in God’s naked grace.
I look around, and I look into my own fear. I look around at our world and see violence, hatred, starvation, religious and political extremism. I look around and wonder how big is the spiritual hole in our world? I wonder how much love is needed. I wonder who is there to fill it. I wonder if the church is up to the challenge of our times.
This is what energizes my hopes and challenges me to overcome my fears to launch a church.
