It is time once again for Spiritual Thursday and I am hosting today. Today I have some ruminations on the church. But before I ruminate away, I have some questions you might want to reflect on and answer. Of course these are just ideas and you are free to write about anything you like.
First, is there a physical place that has deep spiritual meaning to you? Secondly, are there people who have invested in, walked alongside, or that you have walked along side of in your journey? How have they encouraged you on the way? Has your spiritual journey given your life purpose? Does your journey have a way? In other words, what has been your path on that journey? In my mind the answers to those questions help constitute what church is to so many of us.
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I am going to Greece in less than a week and I am super excited!!! We will be spending time in Athens and Corinth, but mostly be on the islands of Sifnos and Paros. The island of Sifnos boasts 360 churches, the most if any island in the Cyclades. Including this one which we hope to travel to.
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Church_of_Epta_Martyres_,Kastro_on_Sifnos,_153398.jpg#/media/File:Church_of_Epta_Martyres_,Kastro_on_Sifnos,_153398.jpg
While preparing for our trip we have found many churches that we can visit as tourists but have had more difficulty finding churches we can attend as practitioners. This is what gave me my idea for today's post.
Oftentimes when we think of a church, we think of a structure. Just in the same way when we think of the post office, we think of a building or perhaps a mail box. Perhaps we might think of a person when we think of the church, perhaps a priest, pastor or parishioner. Thinking of the post office, we might picture our mail deliverer. Sometimes when we think about the church, we might focus on the negative, the scandals, the abuse, the hypocrisy. Again, at the post office, we might think about lost mail or someone going, well, postal.
I would say that the church and the post office are really about one thing, the same thing, and that thing is delivery.
There are 2 meanings of the word deliver and they work in concert with each other. First, you deliver a message, second you deliver something from one place to another. In the post office context, the message that gets delivered is separate than the place it was delivered from and where it's going. So if I send a letter from where I live in Illinois to where my sister lives in Virginia, the route that the message is taking does not change the meaning of the message.
But the church is also delivering a message and being delivered at the same moment. I will give an Old Testament and New Testament example, but there are countless examples that don't derive from the scriptures. In the Old Testament the Hebrews are literally being delivered from bondage in Egypt and being delivered to the promised land. One example from the New Testament is I Peter 2:9,
But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
In this example, the message that is being delivered is that people are being delivered from darkness into light.
I guess what I'm saying is that when I think of the church, I think of the message being delivered and the journey from where you've been to where you are now, to where you are headed. The two types of delivery message and journey are intertwined together.
For me my spiritual journey is centered around Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ has delivered me from slavery and is leading me to the promised land and is preparing a place for me there. It is Jesus who has called me out of darkness into his marvelous light. Before Jesus church was just a place and a practice. Now the church is His body here on earth. He is the message that we deliver and the Messiah who has is delivering us.
7 comments:
Dave, you have given us so much to ponder and work with this month for our SJT! My journey is a winding one, so I will sit with these ideas and post this evening.
Like Chris, I want to ponder this. I have a lot of mixed feelings about "church" today. I'm also especially intrigued to consider "delivery" and "message." My post may take a few days, but I will circle back once I can capture my thoughts. Thanks Dave!
Dave, thanks for hosting this month. So many thoughts have been running through my head all day and I still have not settled on one direction. As soon as my thoughts solidify, I will post my link.
I had the privilege to travel to Greece 12 years ago. It is as beautiful as you think it will be. The Aegean Sea is a spectacular color of blue! The people are wonderful, too. I remember feeling a strong presence of God in the cave of St. John on Patmos. There are many spiritual places. The churches you will find are beautiful, ornate, artistic, but the reason there are so many is political. Apparently, you don't have to pay taxes if you build a church on your land. The Greek Orthodox church is its own unique political system, like the post office of your analogy. Have a great trip!
Dave: Thank you so much for hosting this month, and for your thoughts about church and messages. I used my OLW and the word HOPE this time. Thanks again, and my best to you.
Dave, your post with its questions came at the right time. Last week was especially difficult with both a new granddaughter born and my last uncle's passing. I found the questions you shared thought-provoking. My post concentrated on family. I am grateful for their support when needed and encouragement to strive beyond, Faith is an integral part of my practice. Have a wonderful trip to Greece.
Dave, thanks for hosting this month. Your post has much food for thought. I wandered off topic with a ramble through springtime splendor in my neighborhood.
Enjoy your trip to Greece. It's on my bucket list. My travel buddies who went to Rome together are considering Greece for our next trip.
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