When the space between the divine and this world becomes thin with little separation, we know we are in a sacred space.  Moses knew this when he was standing and listening to God before the Burning Bush.  Moses knew he was standing on holy ground.  Moses didn't know exactly what to say but he knew it was time to remove his shoes.  (See Exodus 3:5)

I have experienced these thin places when I have been with families where loved ones breathe their last breath.  One moment they are breathing, thinking and communicating, and the next moment they are no longer breathing or sharing their thoughts with loved ones.  One minute they are alive for how we know life and the next minute they are not alive.  It  becomes a sacred space where life once was and is no more.

I have also experienced these thin places when I have been with a family when a new born does not have breath one minute and is breathing the next.  Soon there is the cry to say, "Yes, I am in the world!  Yes, I am demanding attention!"  One minute the child wasn't breathing and        suddenly the child is alive!  This, too, becomes a sacred space where the unborn suddenly is born.

Arevena and I recently went to Cincinnati to the same hospital, the same floor and yes, even the same room where our granddaughter Isabella was born two-and-one-half years ago.  It was here our granddaughter Gabrielle was born on May 14.  There we were cuddling this newborn baby less than one-hour after she had been born.  It was one of those thin places where one can say God is near.  Holding that newborn was the reality that we were on holy ground.  I don't recall anybody removing his or her shoes, except Isabella when she wanted to crawl up on the bed to be with her mother that evening.  The day before when Isabella was with her mother, there was a baby in her tummy.  Now the baby was being held, cooed at, nursed and changed.  It was a  mystery Isabella didn't completely understand.  How can we tell Isabella it was a mystery to us, too?  All we knew was that we were in a thin place, a sacred place, and God was with us.

Your partner in ministry,

The Rev. Dr. William R. Nirote