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Last night I was struck again at just how little I understand the concept of “sacred”. As far as I can tell, I hold nothing as sacred. No persons, places or things (That’s a noun! Wasn’t that from School House Rock?) Yes, you are correct, not even God.

Now before you stone me, let me clarify.

I know that God is the Supreme Being. He was, and is and is to come. He has no beginning or end, he is omni-everything. He is far beyond my comprehension in every way. And I certainly understand the premise of the phrase “fear of the Lord”. He is most certainly Holy, and different, and THE One True God.

That said, my disconnect has come from knowing how this One who is so far beyond me has given up everything (Phil 2) to come to my rescue (Luke 19:10) but beyond that… he wants to be MY friend. (Rom 5) Not my supreme master. My friend.

God is not impressed by rituals. Or rites. Or postures. Or any of that stuff. The writer of Hebrews talks about the futility of sacrifices and other such rituals. They are powerless. Meaningless. But on the other hand, Paul also cautions that if one man considers a certain day holy, let him. It’s not for you to determine what one man considers sacred or not.

Ouch.

I am often guilty of at least wanting to impose my superior conclusions on life on all of those around me. I have thought long and hard, analyzed and come up with the perfect conclusion to all of my ponderings. For me. And only me. God helping me, I will try and remember that, and hopefully YOU will too as you read all of my rambling thoughts on this page. This blog page is the written expression of the journey Father is taking ME on. Perhaps knowing me, and my journey is part of yours… but as a friend of mine likes to say, if it “sticks in your craw”… test to see whether it is from our Father, or not. If it is, he will help you adapt. If it’s not, just shrug your shoulders and say, “That boy’s weird!” And move on. 🙂

End of footnote.

I was reminded last night of my disdain for any thing remotely “sacred” when I determined not to pray before going out on stage to lead in worship. Really. It got to be the customary 3-5 minutes before we were to begin, and I started toward the back to gather to ask God’s blessing on what we do, and to ask Him to make it more than we could on our own. All good things, but I was struck by the timing of it – and how we always do it that way.

I do. I am not accusing anyone else. It’s almost like a magic incantation. I want God’s power to course through the event we have planned for Him, and if I ask Him just before that, it will help me remember why I am doing it, and it will perhaps make the effects of the prayer more powerful. I don’t really believe that, but it might appear that way to the casual observer.

That is why I would absolutely not pray before meals for a long time. When I first went to Bible college that was my practice, as it is for most Christians. But as I saw many of my classmates bring their lunch trays to the cafeteria tables and in one motion aim their rear end for the seat, bow their head and close their eyes as their body continued to the seated position and come back up again as though their shock absorbers might need some adjusting. From my vantage point, all I could see was the empty, ritualistic rite of doing the proper thing at the proper time. Not a loving, on-going, real relationship with God.

I admit now that perhaps that was a bit judgmental of me, but the results were not necessarily bad. I was forced to see the rituals that I was observing. The places were I was doing without thinking in my relationship with God. So, I chose to pray any and all times, EXCEPT before meals. For a time. We do pray before we eat pretty often now. Sometimes we’ll pray as we are eating. I don’t even like to call it “praying” because that sounds too religious… to sacred. It’s definitely a good time for us to talk with God as a family. But, as part of my non-sacred self… it is definitely no longer a habit.

All of these things are not bad by themselves. What definitely frustrates me is when we slip into religion with God. He does not want our sacred worship. (Please see the blog I Call You Friends from January 24th, 2005.) Jesus was the embodiment of God and what God did when he was with us, was hang out. He spent quality time with people. Twelve close friends, and then everyone else who crossed his path. He was not interested in rites and rituals, though he was baptized “to fulfill all righteousness”… he was mostly accused of the opposite by those in charge of the sacred of that day.

So, I admit it. I am religiously challenged. But, I think that’s ok. And if you like the practices that some might call “religious” or “sacred”, and if they draw you closer to our Father… great! I don’t think I can really relate, but that’s ok! That’s your journey!

I guess my point is, don’t let the ritual take the place, or get in the way of your relationship with God. He split the curtain, there is no more separation. (Matt 27:51, Mark 15:38, Luke 23:45) There are no magical steps to earning favor with God, or unleashing his power. He does that. And it says in Galatians 4:7 that “everything he has belongs to you”. Just because you are his child.

Life with God is definitely a relationship, not a religion. Not a set of practices, incantations, recitations, etc. There are no holy places, times, days, etc. (See note above if you believe there are.) The most high God has invited us to be HIS friends.

I accept!