Thinness

Today I had the joy of spending minutes with Erwin, my friend pastor at North Pres., around the corner...

During the course of our conversation, he mentioned the concept of "Thinness", from Celtic Spirituality... I was fascinated by this simple concept.

The idea is that there are places in the earth where the Spiritual Realm and the Physical Realm are "closer". That is, the separation, or veil, between them is Thinner. It is very like the thinness of a veil, such as the one that separated us from the Holy of Holies, in the temple and tabernacle, before the New Covenant...

In these thin places, it is easier to percieve and participate in the Spiritual Realm. This idea isn't distinctly Christian, but has its roots (to the Celt) in pre-Xian religions... and in this case, there is a possibility that those religions are in response to an actual phenomenon.

In my view of this "Thinness", which is not a Celtic view, nor a view which is formed by my past life before Christ...
...my understanding of a "Thinness" is not formed by Celtic origins, nor by any other historical origin. My Understanding isn't formed by my past, nor that of any other person. My understanding of this and many other things is not formed by the road behind, but by the City and the King which lie ahead.

When Jeremiah tells us to look to "Ancient Paths" I look way back, past the Celts, past the Patriarch. I remember that Jesus said, "Before Abraham was, I AM." In looking for this most ancient path, I find the One who says to us today, "I am the Way". Jesus, Himself. Present, now. Here...

And this place where I sit, and this air I breathe, and this earth I tread...

...become thinner. I become a conduit of the very miracle power--the very Grace of Jesus. My prayers--bowls of incense--are presented to His throne. As I am shown this by the Spirit, in the Scriptures, and as I surrender my eyes of flesh for eyes of faith, I am humbled. Whether by my sickness, or healing, weakness, or strength, persecution, or vindication, I am His fragrance.

Suddenly, every moment burgeons with immeasurable possibility. Suddenly, I can hear the wings of angels (more like a 747 going overhead than any kind of fluttering-what were the renaissance painters THINKING?)).

Thinness is upon me. And the things of this world... their value... their hold on me... it grows weaker. Like water in soup, the flavor of earthly comforts and the accoutrements of human traffic grow weaker... thinner.

I don't know about a "Celtic Way". Sounds like fun reading. Sounds like good marketing. Sounds a bit trendy, what with the whole Braveheart thing. But I do know about the One who is the Way. As I meditate on Him, His word, His Kingdom, my faith grows.

Yes, its a good thing to be a person who gets thinned. Let's get thinned.