The sun beats down around the trees and the ruins of what must have been one of the most magnificent temples of its day, standing at the entrance way of the Ankor Wat temple in the ancient city of Seim Reap, it is surely a wonder of the world, yet even as I see the intricacies of the carvings and the sheer size of the stones that make up the many temples, and in a way sense the history of this place, through all of that I see a relic of something that was once great and is now fading away. This Hindu temple turned Buddhist sanctuary is nothing that like the Christian faith has ever known, and I suppose that perhaps we've missed the mark in some ways, maybe having lost the reverence and awe of who God is, our temples have turned into mega stadiums, buildings meant more for utility and comfort, and not so much sanctity and worship.
However as I've travel around to many churches across the world the past few months, I'm reminded that the holy places in Christ are no longer confided to stone or wood, but to the minds and souls of men and women around the world. Our temples are more than church buildings, they are in living rooms, straw huts, coffee shops, under shade trees, at store fronts, hill tops, and any other place where two or more believers gather around the world.
While we may sometimes become focused on the ancient wonders of old, the temples, pyramids, cathedrals, and many other places man has built up as a place of reverence and worship, I find myself not wanting to miss the beauty in the simplicity of today, I don't need to go into some scared building or go through a special ritual in order to encounter the presence of God, and that is truly something wonderful.
(PICTURES COMING SOON) was not able to upload with the connection I have now.
