HOLY PLACES

Ezekiel 42:1-43:27; James 5:1-20; Psalm 119:1-16; Proverbs 28:6-7

“Then the man told me, ‘These rooms that overlook the Temple from the north and south are holy. Here the priests who offer sacrifices to the Lord will eat the most holy offerings. And because these rooms are holy, they will be used to store the sacred offerings—the grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings. When the priests leave the sanctuary, they must not go directly to the outer courtyard. They must first take off the clothes they wore while ministering, because these clothes are holy. They must put on other clothes before entering the parts of the building complex open to the public.’”

“Dear brothers and sisters, be patient as you wait for the Lord’s return. Consider the farmers who patiently wait for the rains in the fall and in the spring. They eagerly look for the valuable harvest to ripen. You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.”

“Oh, that my actions would consistently reflect your decrees! Then I will not be ashamed when I compare my life with your commands. As I learn your righteous regulations, I will thank you by living as I should! I will obey your decrees. Please don’t give up on me!”

“Young people who obey the law are wise; those with wild friends bring shame to their parents.”

Effective prayer and meditation can happen just about anywhere. I even have friends who claim to have their daily quiet time while driving to or from work! I do not recommend that, for reasons that should be obvious. It does, however, make the point that God is where we look for Him, and that we can have access 24/7 if we set our minds to it.

That said, though, some places are better than others to experience, think about and claim the presence, power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Most of us would benefit from setting aside a particular place to meet the Lord in solitude and security on a regular basis. Having a regular time for Christ introduces spiritual discipline and obedience into our hectic lives. Having a regular, recognized place for meeting with Him reinforces the sacredness of the process and the expectation that real spiritual business will be done there.

I’ll admit to never having given this as much thought as I now think I should have. Still, looking back, the vast majority of my truly crucial meetings with the Spirit have taken place in one or two special places and always, always, in the wee hours of the morning. I figured out long ago the rationale behind the Lord’s timing: it is only then I am settled and quiet enough in my soul to actually listen to what He has to say. Consequently, I now look forward to the times He wakes me up. It’s never fails to provide a great start to the day. On the other hand, I only fairly recently started giving intentional thought to where I spend those times. There is not anything inherently magical or spiritual about my living room recliner. There is, however, a thick carpet in front of it on which I can kneel, and there’s no arguing the fact that it is there when I most often feel the Father’s comforting Presence and receive His Word most clearly.

The bottom line is probably that the process of true worship is actually intended to capture every aspect of who and what we are, and to fully engage all of our senses. That just cannot happen when we attempt it in a less than perfect environment. Mountaintop moments usually have to be experienced, if at all, away from the kids, the cell phone, the computer and the car, for our God is, after all, a jealous God. He brooks no competition. This is not to suggest we cannot worship in those conditions or pray while we are experiencing them. (We are commanded to pray without ceasing, remember?) It’s simply an acknowledgement that there is a difference between eating to survive and truly feasting. A banquet requires complete personal investment to be fully experienced and appreciated. Thinking back to our family feasts during our recent reunion, I recall vividly that the entire experience was much more than the sum of its parts. The flavors, smells and tastes were wonderful, but all were also incredibly enhanced by the environment, conversations, laughter, relationships and sense of blessing in the circumstances in which they were shared.

So it is with the Lord’s love and grace. There are certainly times when it is all we can do just to cling to what we can find in the moment. There are, or should be, other times when we need to give our full attention to the banquet, the Word, the grace, the comfort or the commandments or callings He sends our way. I find it helpful to have what I have come to think of as Jesus’ delivery station at which to receive those messages and experience those special times.

Since I’ve been practicing or focusing on this particular spiritual discipline of “place,” it’s been interesting how the Lord has used it. I’ve stumbled on a pretty effective way for the Lord to call me to prayer and relationship. All He has to say is, “Get in the chair.” Sometimes, it’s said with an exclamation point, sometimes as an invitation I am free to decline. But I try to always accept because I’ve learned that we can always expect a personal touch and communication from our Father whenever we visit our personal “holy place.” Oh, and it’s a lot easier to be patient, too, when we know we are resting in the very Presence of the One who holds our destinies in His hands. Every time I approach my little in-home sanctuary, my spirit leaps because I know the Lord will be there, ready and waiting to meet with me and renew my spirit. It’s nice to have a dependable retreat amidst all that would separate us from Him. It’s also easier to be patient and teachable there, and a whole lot safer than sitting behind the wheel of a car.