The Hole in the Doughnut

I remember distinctly how Dr. Gray explained the story about the doughnut to us at Miracle Valley, Arizona - and that was in 1973! just goes to show that if a story is worth repeating it is worth repeating! (We are in 2008 now!)
There was a moment in a meeting when the Holy Spirit melted every heart and people started acknowledging their pride. A second year student at The Valley got up and summarized his feeling about himself in the following words:
'I used to think I was something. But I am nothing. Nothing at all. You know the hole in the doughnut? That's me! That's what I am - just a hole in a doughnut!'
It was very touching and everyone agreed that we are nothing compared to Christ Jesus. He is and should be everything to us.
Later that afternoon a group of students were talking about returning to do the third year of practical ministry training at The Valley. The young man who used the figure of the doughnut in his confession, indicated that he was also considering coming back for ministry training. Some of the other students teased him by saying, ' Man! You can't preach!'
At this point Dr. Gray walked passed and overheard the young man responding in the following manner: 'I can preach just as good as anyone of you can preach! In fact I can even preach better than some of you!'
Dr. Gray laughed and cleaned his throat a litte and then remarked: 'Suddenly the young man was no longer the hole in the doughnut!'
I'll never forget that story...
Whenever I think I'm the doughnut, I remember that image.
Isaiah talks about the sieve of pride and those who say they are 'Holier than thou'. The African Americans at The Valley used to talk about some people who were, 'holier than thou; deeper than deep; too high to come by!'
Sport is a wonderful leveler. Just when you think you are unbeatable you have a bad day! There are a few exceptions like Tiger Woods who just seem to get better and better as he grows older. But he revealed the other day that he never thought he would have 9 major golf titles behind his name at the age of 32 - some humility in that statement, don't you think?
Pride comes before the fall. That is not a saying - that is the truth. We have all experienced in some way or another. The person walking with their nose in the air, cannot see the banana peel on the pavement and the consequences are appalling!
When they said The Titanic was unsinkable, an iceberg proved them wrong...a piece of ice sunk a ship! When Muhammed Ali kept announcing that he was the unbeatable champion of the world, he got knocked out and suffers Alzheimers disease for the rest of his life. When John Lennon claimed that the Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ he was gunned down by a madman. The moment Lucifer wanted to take over the throne of God he was cast down like lightning from heaven. When Herod spoke like a god, and people honoured him as one, he fell down and worms ate him up. Horror of horrors!
Well, we are all flesh and have nothing to boast about, that is really all I am saying. When someone else falls, we should not rejoice but go and help to pick them up. He who stands should take care that he does not fall in the same way as the person he is judging.
How quickly this life passess...like a shuttle, says Job, a shooting star through the air, and it is gone. Moses says it passes like a shadow. He described his eventful 120 years as a hand width...

I love a crispy doughnut with some icing on it! But whenever I eat one I am reminded of this story and it is a good time to take stock of one's own life. Our own assessments of our lives are not always accurate. That is why our Good Shepherd sometimes allows trials and temptations to come in situations we would not have chosen for ourselves or for our dear ones, so that we can be reminded that we have nothing to boast of in the flesh.

All we have and all we are have been graciously given to us. We are simply to be grateful for what God has allowed in our lives. We receive correction from him and take the instruction that adversity and suffering bring. Our faith is tempered by these things.

In a moment of disappointment remember to look for the mercy of God in it: it is by His grace that we are not consumed, because we are like the flower of the grass, today it is here and blossomes, then the wind blows over it, and it is gone!

But in the midst of this temporary state of being, we have an option to add eternal value to our lives by putting our faith in Christ's offering for the sin of mankind: by believing he died for me, He imparts eternal life into my being and I have this hope in me that I will forever be with the Lord, no matter what happens after this life!

So, in myself I am just the hole in the doughnut, but in Christ, I add taste to life! But because I know my source and substance, I am thankful for the opportunities offered to me daily to do what I can do in order to be a shining light for Jesus, in spite of my own deficiencies and weaknesses. All the glory of any achievement goes to my Maker. I am nothing without Him.

He is the real doughnut! He is the Master Piece of God's Creation! He is everything to me!