Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it—Genesis 28:16
We men have a remarkable ability to compartmentalize—to believe in different realities, depending on the day of the week. We’re able to accept God’s presence, his relevance to our lives, on Sundays. The rest of the week, though—when we’re at work, for example—we often go about our days as if he isn’t there, as if his truth has no bearing on us Monday-thru-Saturday.
This is nonsense, of course, that the God of the Universe, the very creator of Monday-thru-Saturday, isn’t there, has no relevance, on those days.
“‘Can a man hide himself in secret places
so that I cannot see him?’ declares the Lord.
‘Do I not fill heaven and earth?’
declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:24).
I think it just feels right, at first—we get some stuff done on our own, we get ahead a bit, get some credit. Over time, though, we all face the truth that we can never find true meaning, true significance apart from God. And the longer we bend ourselves toward trying to live out this falsehood, the more purposeless and hollowed out our Mondays-thru-Saturdays become.
But . . . if we decide to look for him, where we are, where we spend the most important moments of our lives, we can begin to reclaim meaning and significance. We can begin to discover why he has us in those times and places, and what he intends for us there. And they too can become Holy ground.
Okay, so what do we do?
Begin opening your mind to the fact that God is present with you, right now . . . this day, this week. Ask him to show himself to you—outside of church, in your work, your home. Begin turning your mind to him, focusing your gaze upon him, especially in times and places where, in the past, you have not.
