UMC20240714 - Holy Ground¶
As a teacher, one of the challenges I face during school holidays is doing prep work for the upcoming term while at home. Do you experience this too? Getting work done at home can be difficult because home is where we unwind and relax after a long day. This holiday, however, Dom and I tried to break out of this pattern. We forced ourselves to go to a coffee shop to do a few hours of work each morning. To our surprise, this new setting proved to be incredibly productive.
I find it fascinating how much our physical setting and actions can affect our mental and emotional state. The concept of holiness in scripture demonstrates a similar effect where external objects or spaces can influence internal change. In the story of Moses and the burning bush, God says, "Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground." Declaring something as holy meant it was "set apart," "different from the norm," or "special." This declaration required people to change their usual behavior and approach with reverence and awe. Such spaces and rituals jolted people's minds into a state of presence and awareness.
In ancient times, before widespread literacy, spiritual and internal change was often taught through external practices and spaces declared as holy. People learned through their bodies, and as a result, their minds were transformed. I believe these practices were not needed by God as much as they were given to us by God to teach us through our bodies. Physical encounters with the holy had the power to change our mental state, encouraging a deeper connection and understanding.
Church is a gift of holy ground in our week. What other holy spaces do you have access to in your life? Do you have a prayer space? Do you have a space in your day? A walk routine? Holiness changes us.
Love, Cliff