Carve Me Up

Leaves are falling from the trees.  The morning air is finally crisp and clean, all traces of the heat and humidity of the summer blown gently away.  Red, brown and orange hues abound and various inflatable objects begin appearing on the front porches of houses around town.

Autumn has arrived.

And with autumn comes the inevitable; the one time of the year we joyously spend hours creating pieces of artwork with a simple orange gourd.  Pumpkins painted in bright colors and decorated with designs that range from the beloved Jack-‘o-lantern to some of the most intricate carvings imaginable.  It is a time of year when memories are made, people of all ages put aside their sense of propriety while dressing up in silly costumes and children go to sleep each night to dreams of buckets overflowing with chocolate morsels.

However, last night as my eyes observed my daughter and her cousins dip their hands down into the depths of the orange abyss, scrunching their noses as they drew up globs of pumpkin seeds mixed with stringy goo, my heart observed another completely different scenario.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.  — Isaiah 53:12

My heart cried out within me, reminding me of the One who reached down into the depths of my own sin and transgression, bringing forth the goo clogging up my life and deposited it at the feet of the Cross.  He poured out HIS LIFE for mine.  Within that merciful, glorious act of salvation, my life was lovingly carved out, scooped clean of my past and left hollow for my future in Christ.  This is truly the only way that a beautiful masterpiece could begin to form.

And then, the best part of it all!

Once the pumpkins had been cleaned, carved and painted, a small candle is placed in each one, illuminating the hollow inside and displaying the glory of the masterpiece and the artist for all to see.  That light, glowing in the darkness, showing off something that the pumpkin could never achieve by itself.

A symbolic imagine of the salvation which WE could never achieve on our own, but is readily available to any and all who acknowledge their need for a Savior.

So carve me up, Jesus.  Empty me so I can be filled with more of You.