My friends and I went on an (accessible) rooftop search in the downtown area of our college-town a few weekends ago.
Despite the unnervingly rusty ladders and useless phone-flashlight lighting, we found our way to not one, but three glorious rooftops. We would complete the climb, encourage the others to follow — aiding them to step from the last unstable rung of the ladder to the slightly increased safety of the cement ledge-and then, inevitably, silence would ensue.
Without fail, as soon as we were confronted with the open expanse of the starry night sky and a seemingly endless view of the sparkling lights of our tiny town, we grew quiet, we breathed the view in. From companionable laughter while on the ground to companionable silence on the rooftop, the contrast was beautiful, startling.
At one point, one of our group broke the silence and said, “You know, Waco doesn’t seem so bad from this perspective.”
Now, I know we’ve all heard the “mountain gives you a new perspective of the valley” concept, which, by the way, is entirely true, but that’s not the thought that I had that night when my friend spoke.
My friend’s statement immediately made me think of the “rooftop” moments that I experience everyday in prayer, those moments of sacred silence or of heartfelt seeking can reveal a depth of meaning, an aspect of Glory that were once unapparent.
Beginning a day from the “heights” of prayer will provide a foundation of positivity, a renewed perspective of just how blessed it is to live this life as a Child of God. Prayer is the ultimate stress-reliever, resulting in the ” peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7).
The physical rooftop conversations I experienced provided me with a new perspective of my town, but the spiritual “rooftop conversations” I experience daily provide me with a new perspective of my life.