Last weekend we experienced over-crowded conditions at Calvary during our confirmation. Many people. Few vacant chairs. A full house.
But there was still room at the inn. We were plush, but there were seats.
And yet, especially in the crowd, we may not consider how significant an empty chair is to a guest or first-time visitor at Calvary. An empty chair is an invitation. An opportunity. An opening. An empty seat can be sacramental--if sacrament be defined as a sacred invitation containing the presence of God.
Likewise, when we occupy a chair, we want to do more than just sit in it. Our presence should have sacred significance, as we have created a sacred space with God. We need to participate, to place our whole selves in the chair, as we dare not take a space that could be occupied by a participant, by someone who is bringing their whole heart, their whole being, to God.
I think about this as I sit up front in "my chair" during worship. I dare not just "be there". I need to bring something. . . some gift of mind, of body, of word. I need to occupy my chair, not just sit in it.
When guests arrive at Calvary, I hope they will not only find an empty seat, but open hearts, open minds, and open doors. I hope they will be able to participate, to feel welcomed, into God's presence. I hope they will feel, by the time they depart, that they have truly experienced God's grace and are ready to face their life's deepest challenges.
The empty chair. Is there one near the seat you occupy? Are you aware of the new faces around you? Could that one empty chair be filled by someone you might invite to Calvary next week?
But there was still room at the inn. We were plush, but there were seats.
And yet, especially in the crowd, we may not consider how significant an empty chair is to a guest or first-time visitor at Calvary. An empty chair is an invitation. An opportunity. An opening. An empty seat can be sacramental--if sacrament be defined as a sacred invitation containing the presence of God.
Likewise, when we occupy a chair, we want to do more than just sit in it. Our presence should have sacred significance, as we have created a sacred space with God. We need to participate, to place our whole selves in the chair, as we dare not take a space that could be occupied by a participant, by someone who is bringing their whole heart, their whole being, to God.
I think about this as I sit up front in "my chair" during worship. I dare not just "be there". I need to bring something. . . some gift of mind, of body, of word. I need to occupy my chair, not just sit in it.
When guests arrive at Calvary, I hope they will not only find an empty seat, but open hearts, open minds, and open doors. I hope they will be able to participate, to feel welcomed, into God's presence. I hope they will feel, by the time they depart, that they have truly experienced God's grace and are ready to face their life's deepest challenges.
The empty chair. Is there one near the seat you occupy? Are you aware of the new faces around you? Could that one empty chair be filled by someone you might invite to Calvary next week?
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