Sacred Time and Sacred Space Is Not Just for the Insiders

Religious communities are not always known for who they include - they are more often known for who they exclude. Typically there are insiders and outsiders, there’s us and them. Tragically, often those who have other struggles because of being marginalized are often further pushed out by religious communities.

But that’s not the vision God has for community. God recognizes through the prophet Isaiah that those who have been historically marginalized are often the most faithful, the most spiritually connected to the Divine, and the most willing to help create a new way of life on the earth.

Read this revolutionary passage about who is included in the spiritually renewing sacred time (Sabbath) and place (temple) that are earthly reflections of heavenly time (‘everlasting name that will endure forever) and place (‘my holy mountain’). Note that God is explicit that it is the sexual minorities and the immigrants who top the list. This is what Jesus talked about when he taught that the last would be first.

How does this challenge you? Comfort you? Inspire you? Direct you?

To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths,
who choose what pleases me
and hold fast to my covenant—
to them I will give within my temple and its walls
a memorial and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that will endure forever.

And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord
to minister to him,
to love the name of the Lord,
and to be his servants,
all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it
and who hold fast to my covenant—
these I will bring to my holy mountain
and give them joy in my house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and sacrifices
will be accepted on my altar;
for my house will be called
a house of prayer for all nations. - Isaiah 56:4-7