Last week as I was
visiting a different city, I sat for a few minutes in a beautiful old
church. Above me a high frescoed dome; in front of me an ornate altar
surrounded by majestic stone walls. And around me sitting many
others, gazing forward or heads bowed in silence. And I wondered,
what is the motivation behind all of these people are sitting here?
Are they tourists, like me? Did they come to take in the architecture
and art and atmosphere? Or did they come looking for a few moments of
something larger than themselves, a few minutes of peace?
As I think about the
European culture in which I live, connecting with God, in any
context, does not seem like a priority for most people. And yet there
are specific moments (Christmas and Easter, especially, or as a
tourist) when people do enter these churches. Is it only tradition,
or is that they feel like they should make an effort to give God a
few minutes of respect, and the church is the place to do it? Is it
an opportunity to find a moment of peace and reflect on something
larger than yourself? Or an effort to connect with God? But it's
only a brief moment, happening inside those walls. Are these old
churches the only places that are seen as sacred - THE place to
experience something of God?
In this Advent season, the
season of hope and expectation, as I sat in this church and wondered
at the people sitting around me, I was impressed with the image of
the Son of God born as a human baby, living among us, and as the
result of his life, death and resurrection, he established the
ability to send the Spirit to dwell within us. It's no longer
necessary to meet with God in a specific place, because we have
become the temple of God; we commune with him anytime and anywhere.
“I will ask the Father and he will give you another Counselor to be
with you – the spirit of Truth...you know him, for he lives with
you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17) And I was struck with
what an incredible gift this is. I don't know the hearts of the
people around me, what their intention was in being in that church
building. And I recognize that these incredible churches can be great
symbols of the majesty and holiness of God and inspire reverent
worship. But it also saddened me to think that many don't recognize
that what they might experience in a few moments of silence in a
grand church building is also accessible for each of us personally,
in any and every moment of our lives. We only need to recognize it
and accept it.
I pray that in this season
that you will experience the fullness of this precious gift – the
gift of God with us. Not just the mystery of our Messiah experiencing
life as one of us, but the magnificence of God living within
his beloved creations in the form of his still, quiet presence. Our
hearts the sacred dwelling place of the Wonderful Counselor and
Prince of Peace. He has become infinitely accessible. Let every heart
prepare Him room!
Arise
shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon
you. Isaiah 60:1
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