FINDING HAVEN

This for me is different than heaven. It is a rest stop or sanctuary from the storms of life. It is never intended to be perfect or even permanent. The purpose is more to regain one's strength, find inspiration or otherwise let one's soul replenish what life and reality often drains in many ways.

But the goal is never to replace heaven. It can never serve to be a form of shelter that keeps life from following its normal course.

Still, even if we know this that doesn't keep us from racing for havens we hope will somehow turn into a heaven. We might not voice that intention, even if we are thinking it, but I'm sure I'm not the only one who has toyed with that thought.

A haven can be anywhere that brings peace to our insides. On a spiritual level God isn't restricted to some house of worship to provide such haven. There might be some that look at it that way, but it isn't the Lord who makes such requirements.

It is true that a house of worship can be a place of haven and inspiration. But we just can limit God to such locations.

The Lord is of course everywhere since he is omnipresent. And we have examples of him revealing himself to people such as Moses and Abraham in places other than a house of worship.

But that doesn't mean that a house of worship has no value. God did have the people of Israel built the tabernacle and then later the Temple. So have a central place of haven and worship is important.

It just isn't the only place where God can be found or one can find a haven. Basically, to me I think the most important part is that we find the Lord as part of the haven.

Some would seek peace in terms of a haven apart from the Lord. They would search the path of inner satisfaction without ever acknowledging God in the process.

They might even achieve some transitory form of quiet, but without honoring the reality of the Lord such a reward will always be hollow to some degree. However the person won't always acknowledge.

When God is center to the haven wherever it is located the affect from my point of view is far more complete and fulfilling. It touches more profoundly and deeply because with the Lord the purpose is far more complete since it is partially meant to bring one closer to him.

Only a follower of the Lord who is touched by the Holy Spirit will come to understand and appreciate that connection. And because it is important, then we need not allow ourselves be lured to the havens of mankind's value alone that some claim are a heaven on earth. In the quiet of reflection God's spirit will speak the loudest to our soul even if those who aren't believers only hear the wind.