In some religious Jewish communities, there is nothing more spiritually significant for a Jewish person than to “Make Aliyah to Israel.” Transliterated aliyah means stepping up, going up, or assent. It is considered moving up spiritually when you move to Israel from another country. The only reason you would make such a dramatic move is for your soul. It is a spiritual change for your soul.

Lent is a season of soul transformation. It is an opportunity to move up spiritually. This season is about perfecting your soul by working on character development. The church fathers prescribed specific fasts and religious meetings during this season. When fasts become legalistic, they lose their spiritual power and purpose. I don’t practice Lent out of cultural conditioning but because the Holy Spirit draws me into this delightful experience. I have found the season of Lent to be one of the most dramatic spiritual periods of time in my life. I cannot explain why exactly; all I can report is that I find responding to the Lenten season is like making Aliyah to Heaven for me.

Each year I sense God leading me to a different experience during Lent that stays with me for the years to come. Last year, I tried to catch every sunrise and sunset that I was able. I believe I am more in tune with sunrises and sunsets after that experience. I see them as a gift from God. I feel His presence and admire His beauty when I look at any sunrise or sunset since then. I learned so much about waiting as well as not seeing what I expected from last year’s Lenten journey. This year my Lenten journey is secret. I’m so excited to learn the lessons God has for me. I’m sure I will not be able to keep the lessons secret.
As Christians we do not make aliyah to a place on earth; rather God has made aliyah to our souls if we invite Him. John 14:23 says,

“Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.’”

Moving up spiritually begins by loving God and obeying His teaching. If it is our intention to be with God, we can step up spiritually in the deepest level of our being.

Adele Laurie Blue Adkins, (born 5 May 1988), is a Grammy Award-winning English singer-songwriter whose smash hit “Rolling in the Deep” iis playing in my head as I think about what God wants to give us spiritually. Our souls are made to contain the love of God so fully that we sense Him being at home in our souls. There is nothing bigger than that. If you don’t know the song, perhaps you should listen. I hear it from the heart of God to my soul. He is saying we could have had it all, and He has the scars to prove it.

I encourage you not to miss the treasure of joining with other Christians all around the world who use the season of Lent (40 days, minus Sundays, before Easter) to open your soul most fully to the love of God. Make your own aliyah to heaven and welcome God’s aliyah to your soul!