I thought I would talk more about this idea of sacred space. This is a concept we discussed quite extensively in the School of Worship. It is the idea of “making” places thinner than others. This is the concept and application that goes into the designing of church sanctuaries or the planning of a prayer meeting.
Simply put, it’s using a physical place to physically demonstrate spiritual realities.
Now, at face value this could easily seem like a strange or even pagan concept.
But the Bible is rich with the idea of setting apart everything unto God. I’ve been reading through the Old Testament, and it is fascinating to see that in all of the destroying of altars and cities that goes on, the term used for “destroy” is the same Hebrew term that refers to the “total and irrevocable giving over of things to God.” It is a big application of this idea of sacred space.
So what makes a place “sacred?” Is it the occurrence of miracles? Does it happen when angels show up? While these would be cool displays of this, I believe that the concept of sacred space is simple and important.
See, throughout the OT, we are given a continuous model of interaction with God:
It happens in His territory, on His terms. So He instructed His people to build a sacred tabernacle, a place devoted entirely to His presence. This was the tent of meeting, and later the resplendent temple of Solomon’s time. Now, whether canvas or copper-plated, the idea stayed the same:
This place is God’s place, and nobody else’s.
You see, if we have any constant, continuous lesson to be learned from Scripture, it is the lesson of Holiness. Now, while it seems shrouded in mystical wonder, the word Holy really has a basic definition:
Set apart. Not like. Totally other. See, God is holy because He is totally other than anyone else in the universe. He’s the only God. He’s the only Holy one. But you see throughout scripture God’s call for us to be Holy, “for I am Holy.” He calls us to be different, to be totally other than. So get back to this idea of sacred space.
Now, I could easily tell you that the only sacred spaces are the ones that have had oil thrown on them or sheep slaughtered within or that reside within a church building. But that would be false and lame.
I’m writing all of this to encourage myself and encourage you to cultivate sacred space. Maybe it’s your bedroom, or maybe like Judi-Free it is just somewhere “ordinary” in your house that you’ve made the habit of giving over to God. I think this idea is so vital to our Christian existence. See, we know and have hope because God is with us wherever we are. But this can easily lead us into the trap of the mundane and ordinary, where our view of God dwindles down from Glory and Majesty to homeboy on our shoulder.
Let your time with God be regular. Never let it become ordinary.
This is why I’m working on developing some sacred space in my life. Places in my home and throughout myy days that are meant for just me and Him.
This takes discipline. This takes what the Bible would call sanctification.
But it is worth it. We need to have places in our lives that are special, that are holy. Because the more time we spend applying and practicing the presence of God, the deeper and stronger we can be in and with Him.
