My friend landed at an East Coast airport on his first trip to America. Waiting for his connection, he wandered the terminal. He soon noticed a strange object. It had a powerful effect on people. It was set into the wall and was made of shining steel. People approached it and then bowed reverently. And by bowing and praying (he assumed they had to be praying) these people were blessed with a stream of clear water.
My friend could only conclude that this must be a shrine. Just what sort of shrine was this? Well, most of us would know it as a water fountain. My friend had never seen a water fountain before. In his arid African nation, water was rare and so as a Christian, he had always considered water a special blessing from God.
Inevitably my friend learned that we Americans don’t in fact see our water fountains as shrines. But maybe it’s not such a bad idea. We have a number of places worthy of our devotion. What about our well-stocked grocery stores? Houses warm and dry? Hospitals that are well staffed? These places are shrines too, sort of, for they speak of God’s goodness to us [1].
There are many things to give thanks for this week. Remember them in remembering Him.
[1] Story contributed by Deborah Rose
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