The Chapel
Tears flowed down my cheeks – I attempted to hide them but as I looked around I saw others were crying too. Not a word was being spoken – it was quiet but I had learnt something that I didn’t understand before, but I do now.
I was in St Paul’s Church Manhattan New York – directly across the road from the World Trade Centre twin towers that were destroyed on September 11, 2001. The church itself was not damaged in any way but the was littered with debris from the terrorist attack. Yet it became a haven of hope for 12 months after the attacks.
What did I learn that day as I stood in the church? My friend Bishop Michael Putney told me a couple of years ago that there were special places that felt very spiritual – almost as if God favoured them. Now I couldn’t understand that – are not all places special to God? Surely God has no favourite places? Michael explained it this way – there are places where millions of people over the ages have gathered to pray. When you go there you will know. Before you, countless people over the ages have prayed at that very spot. You just sense God’s presence in a very special way. Well – that’s what he said.
St Paul’s opened in 1766 and has been in continuous use ever since. I saw the very bench where George Washington the first President of the USA prayed after his Inauguration and many times after that – after 9/11 tens of thousands people – rescue workers, family members of victims and volunteers came and sought solace there. Over 14000 volunteers in 12 hour shifts provided care and comfort for the 2000 workers who went to Ground Zero each and every day. Can you imagine the prayers that were prayed by people waiting for news of family and relatives who were missing after 9/11? For over 300 years people have prayed there and believe me when you walked into that church you knew that God was there.
I know this messes up my theology – I am not terribly worried by that to be honest. I just know that the moment I entered that church I wept. My tears were real and my emotions flowed freely. Others around felt the same. God’s presence to me was so real.
I could have stayed all day – David wrote a psalm and said, ‘I love your sanctuary, Lord, the place where your glorious presence dwells.’ (Psalm 26:8 NLT). Perhaps I had a glimpse of what both David and my friend Michael Putney understood and I have yet to learn? That day I added my prayers to those countless people who have prayed there!
Next!
I recently read an article by Gordon MacDonald – he is the author of many books including ‘Ordering Your Private World’. He spoke of attending Nashville, Tennessee, at Mount Zion Baptist Church, where he delivered a message to students who were graduating from one level of education to another.
MacDonald spoke of hope being rebirthed in him at seeing and hearing the dreams of young men and women for the future. He said in his article, ‘It provoked some fresh thinking. Chief among my thoughts was an upgraded commitment to do whatever I can as a spiritual father to encourage younger people to aspire to the greatest heights God has intended for them.’
When I read that I thought how cool is that? I love the heart and spirit of Gordon MacDonald. That is exactly what I want to do with the next generation.
This Friday night hundreds of young people will fill the auditorium of the church here in Ipswich – it will be a great night as churches from across denominational lines gather together to celebrate God. Yes the ‘mosh’ pit will be full, it will be noisy, loud, the crowd will like a can of worms – moving constantly yet I will be there absolutely giving them my total support.
I am committed to generation ‘NEXT’. I am committed to that generation doing better things than I have done in my lifetime.
MacDonald went on to conclude his article – “There once was a man named Zechariah. In his aging years he and his wife birthed a son named John. Of this child, Zechariah sang these words: ‘And you, my child, will be a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him …’ And John did. But only because an old guy, his father, started pouring hope into him when he was still fresh from the womb.”
I want to pour hope into the next generation so I say to the young people who will be at ‘Youth Alive’ this Friday night – ‘Make all the noise you want, the louder the better – be passionate for God – go for Him with all you have.’ And this old bloke will be there with you cheering!
