Some of us are in a time of transition, which can be unsettling, Gospel singer Isaac Carree's song, "In the Middle." is about praising God with "tears running down your face And your heart feelin' like it's gon' break. And your earth feels like it's 'bout to shake, And you've taken all that you can take." The song is not like the season it describes. It's an upbeat, catchy tune, and everyone rises to their feet to joyfully declare, "I'll praise Him anyway...in the middle of it!"
In Psalm 34:1 David declares, "I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth." At the time, he was a fugitive, running away from his enemy Saul. David even feigned insanity before Abimelech the king of Gath, to save his life. David was living in a liminal space. The prophet Samuel had declared that David would eventually be king, anointing him before his family. He was destined for an office he did not yet hold—which brought him trouble from the current king, Saul. In the middle, in his liminal space, David worshipped God. We are to extol (enthusiastically praise) the LORD in liminal spaces. The word LIMINAL relates to a transitional or initial stage of a process; occupying a position at, or on both sides of, a boundary or threshold. Life coach Nancy Levin encourages us to "Honor the space between no longer and not yet" — between what was...and what's next. Liminal spaces can give rise to fear, frustration, anger, impatience, and anxiety, or... we can choose to see liminal spaces as holy.
Pregnancy, whether natural or spiritual, is a liminal space. You're about to give birth, but it hasn't happened yet. Britta Bushnell writes that, "Pregnancy and birth are a space between worlds — a liminal space — a place where you are no longer not a parent and not yet one either. This betwixt and between is sacred space within which powerful and profound events occur — often uninvited." Engagement is a liminal space, so is the time between your last paper and graduation, getting the job and your first day of work, or when your home loan is approved but you don't yet have the keys. Are you in a liminal space right now?
Liminal spaces are times of uncertainty that can be scary, but also produce wisdom, perseverance, and patience. James admonishes us to "Let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." Theologian Richard Rohr writes that, "Liminal space, the place of waiting, is a unique spiritual position where human beings hate to be, but where the Biblical God is always leading them. It is when you have left the tried and true, but have not yet been able to replace it with anything else. It is when you are finally out of the way. It is when you are between your old comfort zone and any possible new answer." Prayers for those in liminal spaces. | 
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