A Holy Place

I went into a sanctuary the other day at a time when the pulpit was silent and the pews were empty.  The hour for worship was still in the distance.  For the briefest of moments the room was suddenly filled with a vision of a long ago wedding, family funeral gatherings, and the faces of folks I knew who once sat in the holy place in which I was standing.  Quicker than I could mentally process what was happening, the holiness of the sanctuary overwhelmed me.  In a few moments I quietly left and as I stood outside the door, I slid into the dirty muddy shoes I had taken off before entering.  I took them off lest I muddy clean carpet, but upon leaving I sensed still another reason.

 

There are some things I wish were in everyone's history.  There are some things I wish every child could experience so that life sustaining and faith building moments could be stored away for the storms of tomorrow.  Learning old hymns of faith is one of those things.  Knowing some of the creeds and rituals which have been tested over the centuries is another.  And, another is a holy place where memories of faith being kindled and renewed are made.

 

What we carry with us into tomorrow is important.  I sometimes fear too many generations now have traversed those formative years without the kind of experiences which will enable and strengthen faith in those dark hours which are surely going to come.  They are going to come because they come to all of us.  No one plans on parents, or children dying.  No one plans on a busted marriage.  No one plans on a life threatening illness.  But, still they will come.  They do come.  A holy place that roots our life is one of those most important things which God can use to help us make it through those tough unchosen times.