Thursday, June 10

I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go to the house of the Lord."
—Psalm 122:1

While there may be uneasiness in our culture about the role of institutional religion, going to the house of the Lord will always bring us a gladdened spirit. The house of the Lord is a sacred space where the Spirit of God is present. 

Whenever we come into the presence of heaven, we find our souls opened and filled with goodness we could not even imagine. It is as if we are a dry brook in a sandy desert and suddenly the clouds gather and pour down cool water that softens our soul and moistens the dryness that has seemed so permanent .

Try this: Carve out an hour in your calendar to go on a church hunt. Find a center of worship nearby and go there when there are no services being conducted. You may need to call first to be sure that the church will be open. 

As you walk in, notice the immediate change from the outside world. Feel the quiet and the seclusion. Find a place to sit and take a look around you. Notice the colors, the symbols, the scents. Close your eyes and drink in the sacredness of the space. In the deep, deep silence, feel the presence of God and bask in the gentle rain of heaven that is poured on your dry soul.

O God, fill me with gladness whenever I enter a space where you are worshipped and loved.

These Signposts originally appeared on explorefaith in 2003.