A torii is a traditional Japanese gate typically painted brilliant red and found at the entrance of Shinto shrines and Japanese Buddhist temples devoted to particular gods. Adherents to those religions believe it marks the point where one leaves the secular world and enters the holy. A large and famous torii stands off the shore of Miyajima Island in the Hiroshima Prefecture of Japan. Visitors are informed it’s “sacred” space.
Sacred sites are common in most religions. Hindus trek to Varanasi, located on the banks of the Ganges River; neopagans make their pilgrimage to Stonehenge. A sacred space is where a god or spiritual power is thought to be unusually present.
To the Greeks of Athens, the apostle Paul stood on sacred ground as he spoke to them on the Areopagus (Mars Hill). With its links to the gods Mars and Ares, the hill also stands a stone’s throw away from the Parthenon—the temple of the goddess Athena. Among a plethora of gods, Paul had seized an opportunity to talk about another “unknown” God (Acts 17:23).
This God, Paul explained, was Creator and Lord of the whole world—rather than parts of it, like the Greek gods (Acts 17:24). Greece’s gods had limited powers, but this God controlled the destiny of each individual on the planet (Acts 17:25-26). Greece’s gods had limited spheres of influence, but this God was literally everywhere (Acts 17:27).
Paul’s message is important for all believers in Jesus, for we have our own version of sacred space: the church sanctuary. We “meet” God there on Sunday morning and then head into the “secular” world on Monday. But if the one true God is present everywhere, then everywhere is sacred space.
And that makes your workplace, campus, and home a place of worship too.
NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: Proverbs 5:1-23
More:
Read 1 Kings 8:27, Psalm 139:7-10, Jeremiah 23:23-24, and Hebrews 4:13 for more references of God’s omnipresence.
Next:
There’s nothing wrong with having a special place where you like to pray. But, in your mind, what’s the difference between such a place and a Japanese shrine?
eppistle on May 20, 2011 at 6:01 am
Church buildings can become idols if we are more concerned about keeping them clean than we are about using them for ministry for outreach. These church buildings aren’t God’s temple. The first century Christians didn’t even have church buildings. Instead our individual bodies (I Corinthians 6:19) and church communities (I Corinthians 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:22; I Peter 2:5) are the temples of the Holy Spirit. Instead of being passionate about keeping our church buildings free of dirt and broken furniture, we should be passionate about keeping our individual souls and our church community free of sin and broken commandments.
lindagma on May 20, 2011 at 6:48 am
I believe that our churches are a place where believers go to worship, fellowship, be encouraged, get educated and gird up for the challenges in the secular world during the week. We carry that encouragement all through the week. Without it, even when you are having your own quiet time, you struggle alone. We need to share what Christ has done for us or take heart in hearing what Christ has done for others…lift others up in prayer and know that others are lifting you up in prayer…wherever two or more are gathered.
To me, God being everywhere is that constant relationship…did you see that sunset, Lord…thank you for that word, Lord…you are absolutely right…I have been remiss…I can see that you opened that door…I can see why you allowed that…for my protection…thanks for that parking spot? well maybe that’s going too far…but maybe not.
winn collier on May 23, 2011 at 1:00 pm
I’m hopeful to make all kinds of space sacred, remembering that God has once named it all “good” and is even now working to make it so again.
Thank you, Sheridan.