Monday, August 20, 2012

Touching the Holy



From today's reading:  "Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands; as the prophet says, 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord, or what is the place of my rest? Did not my hand make all these things?'"   Acts 7:48-50

This is part of Stephen's testimony before the leaders of Israel just before they dragged him away to be stoned.  When you consider that heaven is God's throne and the earth his footstool, how much sense does it make to build elaborate palaces for God here on earth?  And yet, we do it.  Having seen Canterbury, and Notre Dame, and the Sistine Chapel as a young 21 year old wandering through Europe, and looking at them with wonder; I understand now that we don't build those things for God, but for us.  

Our individual churches are built so that we have a place to go, to feel safe, to feel close to the Holy.  They are, as much as anything else, a testimony to our love for God and our desire to meet the Holy in a place that we feel is special.  Stephen had the right idea, God does not need those places to reside on earth.  We need them, to remind us of God's presence with us and his involvement with us on a daily basis. These are indeed the places where we can touch the Holy on a continuing basis.  

No comments:

Post a Comment