Creating Sacred Space

One day in my devotional time, the Lord directed me to go upstairs to a room that no longer had furniture in it.  It is a small room next door to my bedroom.  I went upstairs and looked at the room.  He said for me to sit on the floor.  I did so.  He next told me that this room was to become my chapel, my sanctuary, and that He wanted to meet with me in this room. 

I looked around and said, "Lord, what do I put in this room?"  He said that I was to buy a picture of Christ in the garden of Gethsemane.  I love that picture but often find that Jesus looks rather feminine.  I did an internet search and found a masculine Jesus in the garden, ordered it and waited.  In a few days, it arrived.  As He had said that I would be sitting on the floor, I hung the picture on the wall (over a trunk upon which I put candles and communion items). 

I was not really sure why God instructed me to get this picture.  I had never really thought about it in connection with the sanctuary study.  This was in November 2012, and now that I've been enjoying this sacred space with the Lord, He has given me the answer for why He wanted me to have this picture.  These thoughts are shared with you in case they have meaning for you, too.

 

1.            When I come into the room from the hall, I sense that I am leaving the world behind.  However, it is not always easy to leave the world behind in my mind.  As I sit and look at the picture of Jesus in the beauty of candle light, I sense a release of the things of this world.  It truly is a beautiful experience to come into the garden with Jesus.

 

2.            One morning, God instructed me to study the picture.  What does it mean?  I said that I thought it meant something about Jesus accepting the cup that was His.  "Yes," He said.  "What else?"  I prayed and asked Him for guidance.  Then I understood.  There are cups that truly are ours.  There are also cups that we've taken that are not ours.  This is when I began asking each morning to know what my cup is for the day and checking to see if I've picked up a cup that isn't mine.  This has been really powerful for me. 

3.            God knows that I am a visual/kinesthetic.  This means that seeing and feeling is going to be a part of His process in communicating with me.  I cannot look at Jesus in the garden now without going into a place of gratitude.  This experience is teaching me some important lessons.  One is that while  I understand the early church's desire to avoid idolatry, I believe that we have gone too far in removing symbols and beautiful emblems of Christ.  When we study the sanctuary, it is full of symbols, colors, gems, fragrances, and sounds.  God uses these things to help us experience Him.  He uses these things to bring healing to our body, emotions and spirit. 

At the beginning of this adventure, I asked God what I should put in my chapel other than the picture of Gethsemane.  He directed my thoughts to the wilderness tabernacle.  The things that I've put in it are things I have had a long time...except the Menorah and the garden picture.  At one time in the early 90s people started giving me angels.  I do not collect things, but because these came from special people, I kept them.  They have been in a box in the closet.  I decided they could go in the chapel.  That way, I could take all those special people with me into the chapel.  I have a devotional book, writing journal, candles and matches...and Kleenex, of course.  Sometimes I think that my tears are my prayer language.   

Someone recently said to me that they wished they had a little room like mine, but they do not have the space.  I reminded them that the tabernacle in the wilderness was portable.  I wanted to do a little gift for this person, and I went to Michaels and found a pretty box (you know it looks kind of like a little trunk with wallpaper on it).  Then I got some little glass candle holders, candles, journal, little dish for communion bread, a little "shot" glass for grape juice, and a little angel.  I also gave her some essential oils.  Later, I gave her the portable sanctuary.  Fun.  She really liked it, and has shared it with her nine-year old daughter who just loves it. 

 

I know my room is a luxury not everyone can have.  I am convinced that their is a way for all of us to have a special place.   My daughter has one of those oversized chaise chairs.  That is her special place.  Maybe you have some clever ideas that you could share.  I'd love to hear what others are doing to bring more of experiencing Jesus into your day.