Psalm 34:18 The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
Reflection: Sermon thoughts… Immanence Written By: Pastor Jesse Caro I mentioned in the sermon the architectural designs of the high church of decades and centuries past. Cathedrals were thoughtfully planned to, as I said, “size us down.” In Tiffin, Ohio I would often walk into Saint Joseph’s, the main Catholic church in our town. There were two… Saint Joseph’s and Saint Mary’s. The cathedral in the latter was small and homey, whereas the Joseph’s was large and opulent. I loved walking in and seeing the statues and high lofted ceilings. I felt small and insignificant. I imagined what it would be like to visit the famous cathedrals around the world. These were built to remind us of the transcendence of God. Still, we are reminded that God is also near. This is the immanence of God… his nearness. God is perceivable and approachable. These are both true about God. He is near and far. Other and knowable. And those things must be in balance. The modern church seems to have pendulum swung the emphasis to his immanence. Our church’s architectures today tell us, in subtle ways, that God is approachable. And he is! However, we must never forget that God is God, and that an over familiarity threatens to not respect the holiness of God as we should. God is a near and holy God!
Prayer Lord, we are grateful that you have demonstrated your nearness by coming to earth and taking on flesh. But we are mindful that you remain holy forever.
