the weblog of Alan Knox

Replay: Sacred Times and Places

Posted by on Oct 27, 2012 in discipleship, worship | 2 comments

Five years ago, I wrote a post called “Sacred Times and Places.” The post was some thoughts that were inspired by an article written by another blogger. The question I’m considering is this: If God is everywhere at all times, then why do some people seem to sense (or hear) him more at certain times and certain places. Thinking through this question can help us help others.

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Sacred Times and Places

Phil at “Square No More” recently posted a blog called “The Christians and the Pagans Meet for Samhain” as part of the Halloween synchroblog. He says:

Sacred spaces, and sacred times are not terribly important to me. One day is like any other, and one place like another. Some of you reading this will be appalled to hear that the Vatican is no more holy to me than a dumpster. Now this does not mean that I do not appreciate fine Cathedrals, or beautiful Abbeys and Chapels. Rather it means that I believe God can manifest His gracious presence anywhere He so chooses, and He is not impressed by places and times, but instead by humble human hearts…

Yet, human hearts often attach greater importance to one place, or time over another, and I believe that there is a God in this universe Who loves people so desperately that the Divine presence of love, grace, and power will appear to those who yearn for it. Sometimes that search for God in sacred times and spaces yields results not because God honors the place, but the yearning hearts which go there.

I believe that Phil is making a distinction that is very beneficial, and one that we should consider carefully. From Scripture, we know that God does not dwell in buildings and that God is not more present at certain times and days. Yet, we cannot neglect the fact that throughout history people have come into the presence of God in specific places on specific days at specific times. When these occurrences become regular (as in Sunday mornings, for example), it is easy to believe that this time (and certain places) are somehow more holy than others.

Since God’s presence is not limited to certain places and times, why do some people sense his presence or meet with him primarily at certain places and times? By Scripture, we know that this is not an indication of the limit of the presence or activity of God. Instead, as Phil points out in the quote above, finding God primarily at certain places and times is more of an indication of when and where people are actively seeking God.

Even though God is present in all locations, on all days, at all times, and in all situations, people are not always seeking God’s presence and they are not always listening to his voice. People are not always attempting to live by the Spirit of God, in spite of the fact that the Spirit of God is always present. Even those who are followers of Christ are intermittent in the desire to hear and heed the voice of God.

Thus, discipleship in the area of seeking God and following the Spirit of God should take a two-pronged approach. First, we should recognize that people are not always seeking God. Therefore, we should recognize when people are seeking God and encourage them during those times. If someone believes that God is especially present at a certain place, on a certain day, and at a certain time, then we should encourage them to focus on God in that situation. In reality, the person is admitting that they have finally tuned into God as he has been communicating with them. The communication from God did not begin in that moment, but the reception by the individual may have begun in that moment. We should be ready to encourage listening and obeying at that moment.

Second, however, encouraging someone to listen to God at special places and in special times should not be the extent of our discipleship in this respect. As people hear from God and begin to obey him during special occasions, we should teach and demonstrate that God also communicates at other times and in other places. Primarily, this discipleship takes the form of teaching people how to hear the God who is already communicating. Of course, in a person’s life, there are many voices vying for attention. So, in order to teach people how to hear from God at all times and in all places, we should help them recognize the various sources of interference, including the systems of this world, demonic forces, and even their own desires, lusts, pleasures, goals, dreams, etc.

So, there may be sacred times and places in the sense that there may be times and places where people are more likely to attempt to hear God. However, there are no sacred times and places in the sense that God is especially present or especially communicative. As we teach people who God is, as we disciple them as followers of Christ, we should include encouragement to listen for the voice of God at all times and in all places.

2 Comments

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  1. 10-28-2012

    Right on! I get so irritated at services that are begun with pleading for God…or in Charismatic churches, the Holy Spirit…to come among us…even the songs do it:

    Come Holy Spirit, O how we need you
    Come Holy Spirit we need you
    Come with Grace and fire
    Mighty Rushing wind
    Comforter and Breath of heaven
    Fill my heart again

    Come holy Spirit O How we need you
    Come Holy Spirit we need you
    Come with Heavens power
    Let the rains descend…

    Or:

    There’s a sweet sweet spirit in this place
    And I know that it’s the spirit of the Lord
    There are sweet expressions on each face
    And I know they feel the presence of the Lord
    Sweet Holy Spirit
    Sweet heavenly dove
    Stay right here with us
    Filling us with your love
    And for these blessings
    We lift our hearts in praise (hearts in praise)
    Without a doubt we’ll know that we have been revived
    When we shall leave this place

    Many of these songs and attitudes either come from the Old Testament or from Pentecost, but totally miss the indwelling Holy Spirit IN each believer!

  2. 10-29-2012

    Tom,

    Yes, exactly. I’ve run into the same thing in most kinds of Protestant churches.

    -Alan