Prayer Tip--Prayer Tip--Grace, Revival, Three Rules, Sanctification and Wesley’s Death

When I meet with someone who is going through a hard time, I will sometimes walk with them into the Leawood sanctuary. We sit down and look up at Resurrection’s stained-glass window. It is more than just a window. It tells the story of God and God’s people, from the beginning of creation, through the life of Christ, and on to the hope of what is to come. Sitting under that story has a way of putting our lives back into perspective. Our struggles feel real, but they are not the whole story. God is with us and holding us in something much bigger. More often than not, both of us walk away feeling a little lighter.

That is the power of beauty. It can calm us when words do not help. It can remind us of God’s presence when we feel alone. Last week, while traveling in England with the Emerging Clergy group, I stepped into church after church filled with stained glass that has been there for hundreds of years. Those windows have been sharing the story of faith long before us and will continue long after us. Standing in that beauty, I felt my own worries fade, and a deep sense of being God’s child came back to me.

Here at Resurrection Leawood, we are also starting to see the new chapel take shape. One day, a new stained-glass window will define that space, too. And people for generations to come will sit beneath it and be reminded of the same truth: that God is present, that we are part of God’s story, and that we are never alone.

Here is the invitation for you this week. Find some time to step into a sanctuary. It could be here at Resurrection Leawood or at another church near you. Go when it is quiet. Sit down for a few minutes. Look up at the stained glass or notice other ways the space itself points you toward God. Let the beauty of that place do its work in you. As you sit there, take a deep breath and remember that God is with you.

(Its impact is likely not as great, but you can explore the beauty of the Leawood window at https://sacredspaces.cor.org/leawood/window/.)