76 :: Sacred Valley Church, Peru

Honeymoon in Peru! 

Beth and I got married at our church, Freedom House South End, last Friday. It was an awesome ceremony and we were joined by over one hundred friends and family.

God is good.

This evening we worshiped at a small, colonial-era Catholic Church in Huayllabamba, Peru. This is on the property of the Aranwa Sacred Valley Resort & Wellness where we are spending a few relaxing days amidst our trip through the country of Peru. It's a really nice place to relax for a few days. This is a 17th century hacienda that sits at the base of the Andes in a lush location called the Sacred Valley. It has been decked out into a very fine location to take some time away from civilization... as well as commune with a new church.

Here are some pictures, including the outside of the church:

On the grounds of the resort is the colonial-era Catholic Church that the owners of the hacienda established a long time back.

We entered into it, a bit road weary from a day of travel by plane and car. Here is what we saw:

There are so many layers to our reactions.

Beth used three words to describe her reaction. The first was "homecoming." The second was "presence," with a sense of awareness of God's presence. Finally, she used the word "planned," referencing all of the big and small ways that God had put us in a position to wander into this church together. At the foot of the Andes. In the middle of our lives.

Together.

My reaction was what I always have in an ornate Catholic church - awe at the beauty and opulence of the sanctuary. Also, I react to the exotic nature of it. Clean, white lines and a spartan elegance - that is the Protestant ethos I was raised it. Finally, I reacted with a sense of the Presence of the Divine. God was with us.

We stood there for a minute and prayed in the Spirit. This is when you can be gifted with words that are expressed in a unique prayer language of your own. These kinds of prayers are a direct way that your spirit can communicate with the Holy Spirit. 

It can even express things on your heart that you might not even be cognizant of at that point in time.

Is there a scriptural basis for this thing called a "prayer language"?

Romans 8:26

In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

1 Corinthians 14:2

For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.

1 Corinthians 14:14-15

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also.

Ephesians 6:18

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints,

Jude 1:20

But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit,

1 Corinthians 14:2 is especially compelling in what it says. Also, the case could be made through reading Romans 8:26 that your heart can express things in a prayer language that you might not be able to put into words of your own.

There is a good deal of debate on this question, and I consider all perspectives interesting and worthy of debate. We consider it a real and vital part of what we understand the gifts of the Holy Spirit to include.

Finally, we have decided to spend some time in quietness within this church. That is a spiritual space and discipline that we have shared that we would like to carve out in our marriage. More and more churches are trending toward enthusiastic worship with a band - which we love! And this will be nice to experience in solitude and quietness, as well.

This was a brief, interesting and unexpected chance to see an additional church in Peru and worship in it.

We are looking for a church to experience this comin Sunday, in Cusco. More to come!