spiritual life

Where is your sanctuary?

JOY journal

Seeing one of the world’s most grand houses of worship in flames raises an interesting question to ponder this Holy Week. What did Christianity look like before there were cathedrals?

Really, really not like it does now if the New Testament book of Acts is read carefully. Christianity was born during Passover in Jerusalem, early ministers and believers were almost entirely Jewish, and there were no dedicated “churches.” Not one. Early believers occasionally met in Jewish synagogues, but mostly functioned out of private homes.

The faith began to filter out into neighboring Asian nations. Then, to Africa, through a highly placed servant of an Ethiopian queen. Christianity only reached Europe through direct intervention by God, according to Acts 16. The Apostle Paul and company were planning more Asian mission trips, when Paul dreamed that a Greek man was asking his ministry team to come and help.

They went, landing in the coastal city of Philippi. As the city had no synagogue, faithful Jews came to the riverside to pray on Sabbath days. There, the Jewish Paul met the Jewish Lydia, a business woman who sold purple dye, and the first European church was established.

In Lydia’s house.

It’s true. Notre Dame and every other European cathedral, every village chapel, every Christian of European descent can trace itself, himself or herself back to a handful of Jews who met to pray on a riverbank in Greece.

I’m thinking that’s pretty good evidence that God is able.

Cathedral or secret house church. Jew or Gentile. Rich or poor. Male or female. Free or imprisoned. Educated or uneducated. White or brown. Peace or war. Democrat or Republican. Hypocrisy or devotion. Opioids or sobriety. Church corruption or righteousness. A.D. 1, A.D. 1163 or A.D. 2019.

Yes. God is able. Christ is risen. And, believers’ sanctuary is secure. As it always will be.

Published by JOY journal

After a long career writing for local newspapers — and, on rare occasions, for publications such as The Washington Post — Nora's word life is now focused on blogging and occasional writing projects of special interest. Also the author of several books, Nora lives in Appalachia with her husband and a goodish dog named Finn, who is delighted whenever the family's two adult daughters are home from college.

15 thoughts on “Where is your sanctuary?”

  2. I always wonder how Christ’s simplicity could be turned into massive edifices, but people are praying and singing out in the open once again in Paris. Kingmakers and men of power yes, but I’m sure the architects and artisans genuinely believed they were building to the glory of God and turning people’s eyes Heavenward. Followed by the greatest musicians creating heavenly music to be played in the great cathedrals.

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    1. Maybe. I once attended church in not more than a hut. Even though it was cold, there were wide gaps between the planks of the board walls and goats with bells on their necks were grazing right outside. It was lovely. 🙂

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  5. A bit like football, really. At first just some ancient men playing a really rough game with a pig’s organ in a field. Then they needed somewhere to put heaps of fans. And rules. Then merchandise. Then PR. Then lights at night. Then kneeling…. 😉

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  6. People of today have somehow forgotten that religion was invented by humans, not by God, Higher Force or whatever name you give it. And the meaning of worship is not in idolising totems and relics, or going to church as a blind man, but to respect the God and all of its creatures. That was the main feature of all the great religions, at least in their very beginnings. So, the church should be in your heart and mind, not in the building itself, which is considered just as the state of art and architecture. All the spiritual teachers have prayed and taught their students in the open nature…

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    1. People can really mess things up. But, God seems to love us enough to work with us in all our mess. There is nothing tidy about Christianity, for sure, but it’s too wonderful to miss, at least for me. Blessings!!

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  7. We’ll probably have to agree to disagree on this one, but I can’t help but pray that God will show Himself full of love in your life someday soon. Blessings, fellow blogger!

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