Repairs and Redemption

I don’t know anything about road repairs, really, but I have observed one thing: there seem to be two basic approaches–patch it up or rip it out. Our little street had been patched numerous times, and it worked for a while, but finally someone must have said–“Enough!” I don’t know about you, but I sometimes treat sin that way as well. I address the behavior–patch up the outside. However, if I don’t really allow for a “ripping out,” all too soon I find myself in a similar condition.

Addressing only the top layer of sin is pretty much just behavior modification (basically spiritual pot hole repair), but it seems to me that we’re called into something significantly deeper than that. I don’t always go there either. However, I know that visiting those deep places with the Holy Spirit is how the ripping out and lasting change happens.

¹³ But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. ¹⁴ He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you. ¹⁵ All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.” John 16:13-15