There is a tiny little church perched on the outskirts of my parent’s hometown in Italy. Right beneath the mountain, on the last of the flat bits before you have to walk up, this wee structure sits on a small parcel of land barely large enough to call a property.
The building was lovingly dedicated to God as “Our Father.” With room for only a dozen or so people, it’s not viable as a full time home for a congregation. It is, however, perfect, for a few folks to visit and worship every once while. In fact, it’s where I take my family on Sunday mornings when we visit my Italian relatives.
It might not be big in terms of land or floor space, but it is a truly beautiful structure. Well crafted from quality, solidly built by skilled craftsmen and perfectly proportioned by a capable architect, it’s a miniature marvel that never fails to make me smile. Even if it weren’t a wonderful reminder of my Italian heritage, it still would rate as one of my favourite places anywhere.
That’s why I use it as to mark my prayers on my Blog, the Internet space where I share my weekly “Thoughts” and am currently writing a daily prayer journal. The tiny church is my symbol for something unique and private that is yet publicly accessible. Let me repeat that: the tiny church is my symbol for something private and unique that is yet publicly accessible. In other words, I consider this wee place of worship as my own private sanctuary, even though it is very much a public place open to all believers. As a result, I like to mark my daily prayers with an image of the church. This way I effectively place myself in a worshipful mood, while at the same time inviting folks into my personal prayers as a shared act of worship.
In this way, I invite others into my own personal worship and prayer time. This isn’t just so curious or nosey folks can peer into my life in a gossipy way. The intention is to create prayer discipline for myself that can serve to inspire and teach others about praying. By sharing my thoughts, I hope that others can understand the process of prayer and just how easy it is to talk to God. I use a simple little church to mark my daily prayers because the lesson I would like to convey is that prayer itself is a small, simple exercise. It doesn’t have to be fancy; prayer only needs to be sincere and true and offered to God freely and willingly.
If you happen to look at my Blog (pastorjohnsownblog.blogspot.com) I hope that my offerings help and inspire you. If that’s not your interest, remember that what we offer to God doesn’t have to be stupendously awesome. Like the tiny, simple church I described earlier, the most humble prayer is a wonderful gift to God.
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