A Place of Level Ground

As I began to write this piece, I was reflecting on why chapel is important for our life together at Redeemer.  I was doing so through the grid of rising above the consumerism that causes us to see it in terms of “what’s in it for me..”

But those thoughts will have to wait because…

My mind wandered back to the plenary address by Brian Doerksen at our worship conference this past Saturday morning.  He referred several times to the image of “level ground”.  His address was so profound that initially his references to level ground rolled over me.

He ended his address by singing his song “Level Ground,” which is part of a critically acclaimed album by the same name and  which captures the meaning of the image.  Ponder the first verse…

                                               Welcome to the place of level ground

Welcome to the place where grace abounds

We all need mercy, we all need need mercy

 Welcome to the place where none can boast

          Welcome to the place where compassion flows    

We all need mercy, we all need mercy.

It hit me like a time delayed bomb:  what a wonderful metaphor for our chapel at Redeemer!

It is not about title, function, position or grade point average.  It is not about being a student, professor or staff member.  It is not about what church background we may have.  It is not about how long we have been believers.  

We come as members of an educational community in and under Christ. We come before Him all needing grace and mercy, and mutually aware of it. We come before Him not on the basis of what we do, but on the basis of our common identity in Him – as His children. It is here that temporal distinctions melt away and that which is eternal melds us together.

Consider the words of the apostle Paul to the Galatians

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  (Gal. 3.28)

That’s at the heart of chapel and our community life together.  On that foundation we can enter into 24/7 prayer week on Wednesday: on our knees -- on a place of level ground.

Let it be, Lord Jesus.