Spiritual Life Creates Sacred Space

Spiritual Life Creates Sacred Space December 19, 2015

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We may not remember much of anything from the story of Christmas in Bethlehem. The one thing we know is that Jesus was born in a manger because there was no other room.

That baby was born into a busy world. People had things to do, places to go, people to see, taxes to pay. Their lives were filled with other priorities. Very few people took time to notice the birth of one baby in a small town where his family was visiting.

Many things have changed since that night so long ago. There have been revolutions in transportation, science, political thought, education, philosophy. It was a time before electronic communication, social media, a constant flood of information. Some of the many changes were sparked by the baby born that night.

One thing which remains the same is people’s lives are still full of other priorities.

We have things to do, places to go, people to see, taxes to pay. We create more and more distractions for ourselves. We focus on ever smaller pictures. We strain to take ever shorter steps forward, or inward. We find ways not to pay attention to the sacred depths of truth all around us. We do not take time to notice.

We still rarely make room for a baby born to visitors in a small town.

The great gift of Advent is there is still time. We still have almost a week to prepare ourselves to pay attention. Each day, every moment, is a new opportunity to notice, to be aware, to make room.

We still have time to set aside our distractions and wake up to new birth.

Where will you make room for spiritual life today?

How will you pay attention in a new way this week?

[Image by taberandrew]


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