Words of faith: Busy? Leave some sacred space for God

We have been created to occupy physical space. We are physical, as well as spiritual, beings. As such, we find ourselves placed in particular times and circumstances.

Throughout history, people have set apart sacred spaces for the worship of the Holy One. The ancient temples of Egypt were built to honor the gods they worshipped, in accordance with their theology of the sun being swallowed every night to be reborn the next day.

As humanity grew and moved around and developed different understandings of the world and of God, temples, mosques and churches were built. People wanted to honor God with their best and most beautiful work, and so we have places like the Great Synagogue in Budapest, the Blue Mosque in Istanbul and Notre Dame in Paris, all of which I have been privileged to visit.

The Gothic cathedrals represent an understanding of a three-tiered universe – God is UP there, we are here, and the netherlands are below. So the Gothic cathedrals are built to draw your eyes up with many vertical characteristics.

Later, when people had an understanding of God being all around us, Baroque architecture offered us rounded spaces, pulling our eyes to the horizon. And people have continued to build spaces of worship that reflect their understanding of God.

I understand and appreciate the beauty of sacred spaces, but I sometimes wonder if the spaces become more about our own wealth and power and less about God.

This is the week that Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Holy One born into humanity. In order for that to happen, a different kind of space had to be created. Mary made space for Jesus to be born. Think about it. Mary made space for God to be born.

Meister Eckhart said, “We are all meant to be mothers of God...for God is always needing to be born.” No matter our religion, no matter our theology, God is always needing to be born. We all need to make space… things have to get moved around, shifted, if there is to be room in us for God and God’s work and life in us.

Most of our lives are too full and busy, and many of us have no room, no space for God.

Astronaut, U.S. Senator and Presbyterian elder John Glenn said, “If there is one thing I’ve learned in my years on this planet, it’s that the happiest and most fulfilled people I’ve known are those who devoted themselves to something bigger and more profound than merely their own self-interest."

That sounds like God is needing to be born. When we are seeking our own happiness, or pursuing our own self-interest, there is no space for God.

Yet when we devote ourselves to something bigger, and set aside our own self-interest for the interest of all of humanity, we give birth to God again in the world.

I wish you all a blessed Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Habari Gani and happy holidays!

This story was originally published December 19, 2016 at 4:15 PM with the headline "Words of faith: Busy? Leave some sacred space for God."