Establishing a Sacred Space by Lawrence S. Perry, B.S., M.Div

Establishing a Sacred Space

A Quiet Place at Home

When I was growing up, one of the things you would always find in our home was an altar. This was used by both of my parents. The altar was made up of statues of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, St. Michael and St. Anthony. Of course, there was a crucifix and a Three-D picture of Jesus. Although we kids did not use the altar, my parents prayed there every day. What I noted with amazement, was that when my mom was struggling with an issue or question, she would go to her sacred space, pray and come out of the room with a sense of peace. Her quiet time led her to the answer.

A Dedicated Space

I realize that many families do not establish altars at home; this idea is an Hispanic custom. Having a

dedicated space, however, is important to one's spiritual formation. This sacred space is not only a sanctuary to lift up our concerns, it is a place to listen to how our prayers are being answered.  Consequently, a sacred space must be intentional. The space should be established where it is free from household chaos and negative energy. Next, one may want to establish a focal point, a simple cross or other item that reflects your faith. A small votive candle is always a nice touch and symbol. The focal point helps us to focus. Having established a space and focal point, using the space you may want to quiet your mind. Yes, your mind is going to jump around from this thought to that. If you, however, avail yourself of God's Spirit, He will take you in the direction you need to go. Don't be surprised if  you end up in a place or find an answer you would not have chosen for yourself!  If we believe in the power of meditation and prayer, then you need to be open to the answer. Next, be patient! There are times when we meditate and pray that answers are not immediately available.  When the time is right, the answer may just pop into your head, or someone says just the right thing and you have an "aha" moment! Or, you could read a passage in a book or in the Bible and the answer is right there for your eyes to witness. When you have your answer, then at your next quiet session, offer up your thanksgiving.

Finally, allow me to leave you with this final thought. When you are seeking divine inspiration, you must sometimes accept the fact that you may be called upon to be the answer to your own prayers!

Biblical Insight

If you are still intrigued with the subject of revelation and discerning how we hear the voice of God, allow me to direct you to my book, Walking Through the Weeds.  In chapter six I go into greater detail as to the many ways of how God speaks to His beloved people. In scripture, we have over four thousand years of recorded human history. In these biblical stories, mankind was constantly hearing the voice of God. To hear that voice, we must remain astute. Consequently, when a biblical character was sharing how the Lord was speaking to him or her, pay close attention. What you will quickly note is that God continues to speak to you from your dreams--that quiet voice within you. When you're taking that quiet walk along a mountain lake, the voice of God can be seen in the creation He has established. Then, there may be that one person who comes in at just the right time to say just the right thing that you need to hear. Or, on a certain occasion you may receive information from the spiritual and mystical realm of angels. Just as fascinating as angels may be, man has also had the opportunity to see visions of what could be. Most importantly, we are all blessed by the Word of God as recorded in the Bible! The Bible is the story of your redemption and mine. And, as any good story is told, the creator is made known in his creation. 

The Voice of God, continued by Lawrence S. Perry, B. S., M.Div.

THE VOICE OF GOD (Cont.)

WHAT SCRIPTURE REVEALS

In my last blog, I addressed the fact that one of the ways God speaks is through that still, small voice from within. When we, however,  continue our search through the Bible, we uncover a number of stories that tell that God will reach out to us in our dreams. For instance, in MT:2-12f, an angel appears to Joseph in a dream and instructs him to take the Christ child to Egypt for He was in danger.  And Joseph obeys. In the Old Testament, we can read about the exploits of a young man named Joseph, one of the patriarchs of Israel. He is guided by his dreams and had the gift of interpreting dreams. Such a gift helped him save his family and lead the nation of Israel. Gen. 37f. But, what do you say? Do you pay attention to your dreams?  Are dreams still a medium through which the divine reaches out to us?

GIVE ME A SIGN

A number of years ago when I was contemplating a career change, I was in consultation with my par- 

ish priest as to wheather on not to enter seminary.  At the time I was somewhat confused. Wisely, my priest told me to simply look for a sign. That night I was reading a book which was talking about how God speaks to us through dreams. So, I challenged God to give me a dream as a sign of his will. I was somewhat smirking at the time. However, that night I dreamt in living color that I was submitting my application to seminary. The next morning I laughed as I was thinking that I really set myself up for that and quickly set aside my thoughts on the subject. The next night I was surprised to continue the dream where I found myself in seminary. The dream was once again in living color. When I woke up, I said that was odd. I had never had a sequential dream before. We weren't done yet. The third night the dream continued in technicolor, and I found myself leading my first worship service. I thought I had received my answer to the next step in my journey. Since that time, I have paid close attention to my dreams. Do you?  Remember, walking in sacred space is a moment in time, and you'll miss it if you're not open to the movement of the Spirit of God.