Holy Places

 

Our theme at ICS this year has been "The Things that Matter." However, now that we are at the end of the year, I would actually like to refocus that statement, to change it to "The Places that Matter.” 

It is incredibly important for us to acknowledge and appreciate those places that serve as holy ground in our lives. And I would argue that ICS represents that kind of holy ground for many who walk on our campus — whether you are a teacher, staff member, student, or parent. As such, I want to pose an important question.

Why do we need these Holy Places in our lives? 

I believe it is because we need markers and reminders of those times we encountered God in a real and powerful way. In the Old Testament, it was common for the Israelites to place stones of remembrance at key places where they encountered God. For example, they did this in the Jordan River as they crossed over for the first time into the promised land (Joshua 4:1-7). 

I recently talked about this topic of standing on holy ground with my parents. They reminded me of the time they first moved to Korea in the 1960’s — speakers at church would go up to the podium to read scripture, but would make sure to wrap their shoes in plastic, to ensure they respected the Holiness of their task. This was their form of remembrance. 

The holy places in our lives are tied to Remembering our Holy relationship with God through Jesus Christ. This makes marking holy ground in our lives an important part of our journey with God, just as it was for the Israelites in Jordan. 

For many of our students and families at ICS, our school is that holy place for them — where they first encountered God (or will encounter God in the future). We know that the work that we do here is holy and has eternal implications. 

As we reflect upon this past school year at ICS, I want to remind you that we are standing on holy ground here. Each class, each game, each production, each chapel, Spiritual Emphasis Week, and Week Without Walls program, can be a life changer. 

It truly is exciting to live out our mission on the daily, educating minds and transforming lives for the glory of God!