Today is a day I wait for every year.  It’s not the date that matters but it’s that moment in the atmosphere, when the sky is the perfect Carolina blue and the trees are almost completely in their first shades of budding.  The hues of green and yellow green contrasted against the stark bareness of darkly colored tree trunks all glistening in the bright spring sunshine, brings a sense of awe and wonder at God’s creation that is unparalleled.  Invariably, traveling down any country road in South Carolina on a day like this you will find a place where the tree tops arch across a winding road, creating an ethereal effect that is holy and inspiring.  Today was that day.

While returning from three and a half days of intense worship and spiritual workshops, I found myself on such a road.  It struck me that while I had just spent the morning in an awesome worship experience, felt the presence of the Holy Spirit upon me, heard the voice of God whispering to my heart and soul, sang hymns and anthems, prayed and absorbed an awe-inspiring sermon followed by a friendly lunch in fellowship with acquaintances and peers in the ministry, it was right there on that winding country road I felt I was in a more holy place than all the time I spent in an arena transformed into a church.  In the midst of His creation, the trees reached over the road to form gothic arches that no man could duplicate in any church structure.  The beauty of the sunlight bouncing on the leaves could not compare to the most elaborate candelabra.  The brilliant blue sky and various shades of green, brown and yellow did not match the beauty of the most intricate stained glass.  And more importantly, the peace of the moment could not be produced in any other setting than to be in this divine cathedral on a winding country road.

We expect our holy experiences to be confined to churches and worship services but sometimes I believe He wants us to experience His holiness in burning bushes in the desert (Ex. 3:2), hiding in cave entrances (1 Kings 19:13), on stormy seas (John 6:18-19) and on winding country roads where trees in first bud meet under crystal blue skies.