Sanctuary

Year 8-Day 161: Today, I am grateful for sanctuary.

We hear the word often in the news, as sanctuary cities are becoming more of a buzz word. When I hear sanctuary, I think about the place in a house of worship where we come into close contact with God in worship. 

God is with us always, but when we enter the sanctuary of His house... it is kind of like that feeling we might have had as a child when Dad and Mom's bedroom was off limits unless you were invited into their room. The sanctuary in a house of worship is a sacred place. It is a place where souls gather to worship together in prayer, in learning and in song. I look forward to a time we can gather again in a sanctuary, although "couch church" can be holy, too. Worship is about the heart, not the place.

For some, nature is God's sanctuary. These people feel very close to Him when they can feel the sunshine on their face and the scent of water nearby. 

This scripture is from David, as he cried out for God to be his sanctuary, because there were enemies hunting him down.

O God, listen to my cry! Hear my prayer! From the ends of the earth,I cry to you for help when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the towering rock of safety,
for you are my safe refuge,a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me. Let me live forever in your sanctuary, safe beneath the shelter of your wings! -Psalm 61:1-4

Safe in the shelter of His wings. I love the image it creates in my mind. 

Today, I am grateful for sanctuary.