The Irish popularized the idea of a “thin place.” The saying is that heaven and earth are six feet apart, but there are special places where they are only inches apart.
A thin place might be an actual place. Nearly everyone has special places where they feel closer to a divine presence. Many ancient peoples considered sexual climax a thin place. Psychoactive drugs might get you there, too. Your thin place might be in a community, a family. All you can orchestrate and plan is to get there. The rest is a kind of magic that can be experienced but not explained. A friend of mine notes that while we call some places “the middle of nowhere,” the deep opportunity is to go to end of nowhere and listen.
I will occasionally write this in my journals: Remember — God is closer than the air around you. I like Tom Hoobyar’s insight, too: “There are burning bushes everywhere. You just have to learn to see them.” Even a casual reader of the Old Testament will notice how often people are commanded to remember, called to remember, and pleaded with to remember. It’s clear that our species requires many reminders to keep us on track. God is omnipresent and always communicating, even if we are distracted, feeling anonymous, and unaware (see Psalm 139).
People speak about blind spots in our thinking; we are often in deaf spots, too. There is a marvelous scene at Jesus’ transfiguration. From Mark 9:
And Elijah appeared to them along with Moses; and they were talking with Jesus. Peter responded and said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good that we are here; let’s make three tabernacles, one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” For he did not know how to reply; for they became terrified. Then a cloud formed, overshadowing them, and a voice came out of the cloud: “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!”
Elijah, Moses, and Jesus aren’t talking to Peter yet he responds. He interjects an unnecessary idea – the mountaintop has already become a tabernacle, a place where heaven and earth meet. This is confirmed by the shekinah glory cloud. What is Peter’s necessary response? Listen. James and John were smart enough while terrified to keep their mouth shut in wonder.
I gauge this story as truthful because a made-up story would make the disciples look more important and less foolish. I’m grateful to Peter’s example, because it shows me that I, too, babble when I should be listening. Talking a lot makes me look smart. I’m wiser if I listen more.
