A thin space is a place where the distance between heaven and earth feels thinner.

God seems closer.
You feel more at peace and confident.

The mindset of most people is that heaven and earth are separated by a considerable distance. That being said, at certain times, some places on earth just seem to be thin in the sense that the separation between heaven and earth is reduced.

My thin space is our family cabin, pictured above, in the mountains of Southern California.

This is the place where the distance between myself and God seems to narrow.

– The white smoke of the fireplace, so thick it sticks to your clothes.
– A seat on the quiet deck at dusk, listening intently and hearing nothing.
– The pungent smell of pine trees after a soaking rain.
– The wind that roars like a black bear when it comes through the pine trees.

These cabin experiences cause me to feel like eternity is less than an arms length away.

However, through the years I have also had thin space experiences in my car, in an airport, on the beach and quite often at funerals. These are nearby, faraway places where the perceived distanced between ourselves and God shrinks.

These are places where the world melts away.

[Tweet “It is amazing how the serenity of the morning can so quickly fade into the chaos of the afternoon.”]

My thin spaces are usually expereinced in the morning and are usually associated with seasons of rest or retreat. But as I open my Bible to the book of Genesis and the Garden of Eden, I believe God’s purpose was for all the world, at all times, to be a thin space. A place where human beings could experience closeness with Him.  Thin experiences could be realized during times of work, rest or play.

My guess is most of us would associate a thin space with a quiet place.  A place where we are free, at least temporarily, from cellphones, computers, colleagues, work pressures, relentless demands and expectations. But what if you and I are meant to experience proximity with God whether we are at work, rest or play? 

What if you didn’t have to “retreat”
to feel close to God?

 

The Garden of Eden, the original thin space, was a place where people rested, played and were productive.  This causes me to wonder if thin spaces are not so much the byproduct of quiet escape and retreat as they are a byproduct of awareness and curiosity.

Curious people become aware that thin spaces exist everywhere.

 

They train themselves to seek thin spaces in the every day experiences of life.

As Brother Lawrence, a 17th century monk wonders, is it possible to practice the presence of God all day long?

Is the veil between heaven and earth actually much thinner than we think right where we sit? Right now?

People who find thin spaces and places are those who are looking for them.

[Tweet “Jeremiah 29:13 – You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”]

It’s like the old line …

Do you know who finds sand dollars on the beach?
Those who are looking for sand dollars on the beach!

Could it be that thin places and spaces are all around us?

Curious friends, could it be that God
is as close as we want Him to be?

 

What’s your thin space experience?

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