… that all said, I do understand how important environment is… or is it?
It’s interesting that we associate certain environments with certain things. And that it’s hard to cross the boundaries of how these environments have created these different worlds. Should environment affect us the way it does? Can we not truly worship God wherever we are? If we can worship Him in a sterile cafeteria, could we not worship Him in a dark auditorium with polished concrete floors and theater style lighting? Or outside? Or at our desk at work? Or driving through town?
This is where I pull out my Tevye cap and see both hands. From research based models, I do understand how important environment is to evoke a certain “feel”. Fast food restaurants spend millions of dollars on marketing campaigns just picking the right colors to get people to buy more food. Art galleries work hard to present their works in a certain light. We are constantly being bombarded by images which are trying to foster an emotional connection. I have interesting lights at work to break up the “office feel” of where I work.
On the other hand here, is God not more than environment? Can He not move in any situation? If I feel His presence walking down the hall to the restroom, why do I “need” a certain environment in which to worship? As He is ever present, why should I let my “feelings” dictate my response?
Not sure where this leaves me. I believe God uses all situations to His glory, even those that are predefined to evoke a calculated response. And I think God gave us minds to be able to figure things out. If green walls relax the body and mind and allow us to enter into a state of worship, then why NOT paint the walls green! And if God chooses to work in the midst of places that aren’t what we’d call, “conducive”, then He can. And He does!
