I hope my contribution to the first DREEM-WOTW word prompt meets you in good spirit. The theme, SANCTUARY has many interpretations and applications. I will be sharing my thoughts on some of them.
Sanctuary as a holy place / holy part of a church.
As an altar boy some years ago, I was made to understand the sacredness of the sanctuary and everything therein, especially the sacred lining and vessels. This made me respect, love, and see the sanctuary as God's abode and the holiest part of the church.
Today, the sanctuary is visible and accessible to everyone in the church as to the old sanctuary which is only visible and accessible to the priest alone. The death of Christ on the cross removed the curtain ( sin) that prevented the early Christian from getting closer to God in his Sanctuary. We now access the sanctuary and commune with God directly. The only challenge here is the fact that being opportune to access the sanctuary easily has taken away from our minds, the sacredness of the sanctuary. We end up not giving much reverence as supposed.
Sanctuary as a place of safety and protection
The early Christians were greatly persecuted that they had no other way than to resort to catacombs for their worship. There, they also bury their members. The catacomb became a holy land and God's abode for them. It was their sanctuary.
Today, we are not persecuted for practicing our faith. This is something we should be grateful for. I know that there are some parts of the world where there are religious crises but they can't be compared to what the early Christians suffered. We are today opportune to spend hours in the Sanctuary with God and our needs and without fear of any kind, but with confidence and assurance of God's love.
When we consider sanctuary as a place of safety and protection, what other things should we think of?
Surprisingly as it may sound, our heart is a sanctuary, a place of safety and protection from the turmoil of the world. Those who know and uphold the heart as a sanctuary usually live not only a holy life but also a peaceful one. Sometimes we may not be able to visit the church or the chapel to commune with God due to our engagements. At this time, we have to resort to the sanctuary of our hearts and commune with God. Sadly, not every heart has a sanctuary where God dwells. A sinful heart has no such space in his heart for God. This sanctuary of our hearts is strengthened when we receive the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. This makes us holy and strong against the evil one. We then need to keep this sanctuary of our hearts strong and holy by avoiding sins and all occasions of sin. God is always in the sanctuary Of our hearts talking to us, especially during temptations. We can only hear him if we live for Him.
Sanctuary as a place of safety can also be a lifestyle. Some people find safety and protection in solitude, some find theirs in people they relate with, and others in some actions such as praying and reading. Whichever one works for us, we need to keep it lively and holy. Families should have their Sanctuary at home. The presence of such a place in addition to uniting the family together brings God into the family. I remember the movie war room. Those who have watched the movie saw how the family was united when their war room which can also be called the sanctuary was erected.
Sometimes certain music takes us to God's holy place spiritually. This explains why we say that good Music is the food of the soul. Permit me to share one of the music that usually takes me away from the realm of man 馃グ. I hope you enjoy it.
In conclusion, Sanctuary has many interpretations and applications but all boils down to holiness, unity, and love. You can make your home, workplace, and of course, your heart a sanctuary where God dwells
