Day 9: Place

The Sacred Space.

Exactly what it sounds like, this is a place where anyone can gather.  It is a special place, devoted to the dome where the physical meets the spiritual. 

This quite room tucked away on campus has been my home every Thursday night since I started five years ago at Northeastern.  The sacred space is where we come to worship, pray, meditate, socialize, and reflect.  In the secular world of Boston, this little room is full of so much Grace. 

And I am so thankful for each and every person who I have encountered through this place.  I reflect with joy the friendships developed and support shared there.  God is with us always, but God is especially with us in the Sacred Space, whatever you conceive God to be.

Photo credit LECM

Day 8: Remember

The tallest tree in the world is 379.7 feet tall.  It is a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and is in Redwood National Park in California.  Every year, tourists from all around the world journey to this national park to observe the mighty trees and unique forest ecosystem.  They marvel at the massive size of the trunks, gazing up in wonder and admiration.

But we mustn’t forget what keeps these beauties standing tall through the sun, the wind, and the rain.  Beneath the towering trunks and reaching branches lies an intricate network of roots; a network of strength and power that supports the tree, hidden beneath the ground and away from tourists’ eyes.

Remember your roots.  The roots of those who have gone before us and paved the way for our journey.  The roots of the people who support us day in and day out.  The roots of those present, and of those past.  The roots of those close, and of those far.

As Christians, our roots lie in Judaism.  The narrative in Hebrews 11 outlines the roles that our predecessors played in a great story of faith.  From Abel to Noah, and Abraham to Moses, we are told how these people lived by faith.  The account finishes with Jesus in Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith…”

Our roots are deep.  Our roots are firm in the love of God, and our roots will help us stand even amid the greatest adversity.  We are not alone in this race.  Countless have gone before, and Jesus walks with us.  Remember your roots.

Day 7: Path

I had a discussion last night about the concept of pre-determination, and more broadly, the concept that our lives are each set on a defined path.  We discussed how free will fit into the equation, and struggled with combining the two seemingly opposites.  We didn’t come to any conclusions, and I’m sure this concept will be revisited when I start divinity school.  One thing I do know, we are on a journey, and we don’t know where life will take us around the bend.

This picture is from a hike with friends up Pioneer Peak in Alaska.  We had been following the path for hours, up and up and up.  And then up.  And then up some more.  The whole time I had been ‘encouraging’ them on, saying that we were close to the ridge.  “Just over the next bump!”  (The ridge was a significant point, like half way maybe).  Eventually it became like the boy who cried wolf, and no one believed that I had any idea where we were.

Finally, and I mean finally, we made it to the ‘ridge,’ and stopped to take a picture (below).  We had reached a flat expanse, with snow spreading in all directions and a thick fog that obscured any other features.  A path of footprints ventured forwards. 

About at this point I stopped, and exclaimed that we needed to veer right.  I proposed that we move off the path, and walk right into the abyss.  Of course, they thought I was insane. 

We may not know what path we are on, and we may not know where this path leads.  We may not know if we are on the “right” path, or if one decision will change the direction of our path.  Wherever we are though, God will be walking with us.  It takes trust, and confidence to walk forward with (literally) the peace that passes understanding.  Knowing that God is with us, through each and every obstacle we face, success we celebrate, and decision that we make, regardless of where we are on this path we call life.

P.S.  We made it to the top of Pioneer Peak that day.  To the right, and up and and up and up!