I was out one afternoon doing some visiting and I stopped by a nursing home to check on an elderly member of the church I was serving as an intern pastor. The woman I had come to see was nearing the end of her earthly life and I knew that each time I saw her could be the last. As I entered the woman’s room, I was greeted by the woman’s daughter, and as we began talking about how her mother was doing, it became clear that she was deeply sad and troubled.
The daughter shared how difficult it was to watch her mom suffer and could not understand what God’s purpose was in prolonging her life. As I listened, I began to think of Jesus’ suffering and his promises to be with us always. I also thought about the story of the man and the footprints in the sand. There were two sets during the good times of the man’s life but only one during the difficult. The man thought that God had deserted him in his struggles and like the woman’s daughter, wondered what God was doing and why this was happening.
I thought about the story of Jesus raising Lazarus from death in John 11 and how Lazarus’s sisters ask Jesus, who had arrived three days late to have been of any help, where he was when their brother was sick and still alive? Jesus’ response was to weep with them, so I told the woman’s daughter that I was certain, beyond a-shadow-of-a-doubt, that in times of great suffering, struggles, doubt, fear and pain, God is truly with us. God is not only with us in our struggles and suffering but understands what we are going through.
Being near the woman and her daughter, seeing their suffering and pain, I began to realize God’s presence with us. “Your mom,” I told the daughter, “is a vessel through which everyone who comes in this room encounters God.” We were standing on holy ground.
Jesus told his disciples and us (John 14:18) that he would not leave us orphaned, but would be with us always. God’s presence is not a chill-down-the-spine feeling but a promise. This promise turns every place in our lives into holy ground: The supper table, doing dishes, gardening, a chance meeting with someone picking up the mail, an office cubicle, hospital room, school hallways or a ball field becomes sacred space.
How different would our words be if we could physically see God standing with us as we talk with one another? Would we be more intentional about making our actions match the confessions of our lips? How different would our priorities, decisions, and the attitude of our hearts be if we took literally that because of God’s presence with us, we are truly standing on holy ground.
God’s presence is incredible! God, creator of the universe, love beyond our earthly understanding, the giver of all life, is with us. God turns not only the space we know as church into holy ground but every aspect of our lives. May we live in God’s amazing love and see every place as holy ground.
For many of us, Christmas time as a child is some of the happiest memories we have. There is something magical about the way that snow covers our yards creating mountains and caves where only months ago it was just bushes and grass. Houses being decorated and presents wrapped and placed under the tree invite children of all ages to look for something beautiful in the ordinary and expect surprises around every corner.