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Community blog

Here's the Conversation of St Aidan's Church Community

Thin and Thick by Lynne McCarthy

6/10/2020

 
The Celts knew “thin” spaces, where ‘the space between heaven and earth grows thin’ and where God’s presence is close enough to touch.

Christian Celts believed thin spaces were geographical locations where they felt God's presence intensely. Iona, Lindisfarne, or Santiago de Compostela were thin places for early pilgrims setting out to meet God. Today, they remain thin places for encountering God and becoming aware of His creation.

A garden, a street, a chapel, a bench in a park, a ‘prayer closet’ of any description might become a thin place where, for a nanosecond, a jolt of His grace, His lavish mercy and love become joyfully, deeply real.

Awareness of thin space is one of those “surprised by joy” encounters that God gives us at rare times. The sudden unlooked-for shot of recognition doesn’t last, nor is it meant to on this side of the membrane. Beyond the senses, thinness is promise and hope in our times of panic, trying to make sense of what’s happening around us. His Presence is the peace we cannot understand; we only gratefully receive.

“Those that look to Him are radiant/ and their faces are never ashamed [or depressed, or discouraged,  or …]” Ps. 34:5

If God is in thin places, then definitely He’s with us in “thick” places where there’s only a long grey road ahead, uncertainty, loss, fear, one foot in front of the other. What can we do? 

More than the banal “we’ll get through this”, His Holy Spirit comes alongside us, groaning our thick-space anguish. Then – ah! He makes us aware of the indescribably real Presence of God. He gives gifts without measure to share, to build up. Can we not, if privileged to inhabit His thin space, offer His kindness to others in patient prayer, live in His truth by His Gospel, unashamedly His?

We thus live out the second great commandment, bringing God due glory, determinedly committed to Him and His Body, becoming one in Him. It’s a wonderful thin space; it’s His work, and our joy.

“I’ll be with you through thick and thin” says the old promise that Jesus made, though not in those words.  His are: “ I will be with you to the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20).
​
What are your thin spaces?

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St Aidan’s Anglican Church
274 Campbell Street | Winnipeg, MB R3N 1B5
Phone: 204.489.3390 Email: staidans.churchoffice@gmail.com
  • Home
  • Worship Online
  • The Preachers Blog
  • Easter Services
  • Bible in a Year
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • The Re-Gathering
  • Youth
  • Cords
  • Prayer Requests
  • Request Pastoral Care
  • Give
  • Grocery Pick Up
  • Statement of Faith
  • Video Archive
    • 2023 Videos
    • Real Lives
    • 2022 Videos
    • 2021 Videos
    • 2020 Videos
  • Sermon Audio Archive
    • 2020 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermons
    • 2019 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centered Eternities November 2019
      • The Real Joy of Easter - Holy Week 2019
    • 2018 Sermons
    • 2018 Sermon Series >
      • Gospel Centred Church Spring 2018
      • A Gospel Shaped Church Fall 2018
    • 2017 Sermon Series >
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
      • The Saviour King Lent 2017
      • The Victorious King Holy Week 2017
      • The Living King Easter 2017
      • The Brother King Fall 2017
      • Worship the King Advent 2017
    • 2016 Sermon Series >
      • Real Obedience Lent 2016
      • Unity of the Church
      • The Servant King Christmas 2016
    • 2015 Sermon Series >
      • Real Gifts 2015
      • Real Mission 2015
      • Mission Discerned
    • 2014 Sermon Series >
      • Real Church 2014
      • Real Lives 2014
    • 2013 Sermon Series >
      • Real God 2013
    • Sermon Archive From 2014 - 2017
  • Christianity 101
  • The Psalms Blog
  • Bible in a Year
  • The Re-Gathering