The Thin Place

I was recently listening to a Christian teaching when something the speaker said caught my attention — “a thin place, or a thin veil.” It’s a term I’d never heard before, but when I did it immediately stirred something in me, so I decided to dig in a little deeper. Have you ever heard of it? While I couldn’t find those exact pairing of words in any of the Bible translations I looked through, the idea of it shows up repeatedly. I was just so encouraged by it that I thought I’d share it with you.

Heavenly Boundaries

Theologians often describe thin places as moments or spaces where the boundary between heaven and earth feels almost transparent. It’s where the spiritual feels close, thin, almost tangible, and God’s presence becomes undeniably real. And while the Bible may not use the terms "thin place or thin veil" directly, it’s definitely full of examples that match the description.

Genesis 28:10-17 — Jacob dreams of a ladder standing between earth and heaven, with angels ascending and descending and the Lord standing at the top, declaring who He is: "I AM the Lord God". That’s a thin place moment right there, where the two places meet.

Exodus 19-20 — God meets Moses at Mount Sinai, and it’s anything but quiet or subtle. There’s the sound of thunder, the physical presence of smoke and fire, the mountain quaking, and God’s voice sounding loud into the atmosphere, as the sound of a shofar trumpet. All demonstrate a full-on divine encounter, a thin place.

Matthew 17:1-8 — Gives us the transfiguration of Jesus. Imagine standing there as Jesus is transfigured before Peter, James, and John and hearing God’s voice speak from a cloud. Those three disciples experienced a direct encounter with God where the veil between earth and heaven grew thin, and they experienced His glory.

1 Kings 8:10-11 — When Solomon dedicates the Temple of God in Jerusalem, God’s presence and glory filled the place in a visible cloud (Shekinah), heaven and earth meeting again, the thin place.

Those are great historical examples, but those experiences are not just limited to Biblical times. People still experience the thin veil today.

Sometimes it happens out in nature. Just take a look at the mountains, or the ocean, deserts, forests, and sky. Not only are God’s fingerprints in creation, but in spending time in those places, or looking up at the night sky, especially quiet time in prayer and reflection, you can’t but help to feel His nearness. Creation often speaks louder than words. I think Psalm 19:1 sums it perfectly, The heavens declare the glory of God.

Other times, it’s in sacred spaces like a pilgrimage site, an historic church, or even a church service, where the atmosphere feels holy and reverential. I’ve attended church services that have been steeped in worship and prayer, so much so that you can feel the Holy Spirit’s presence moving in the room and the boundary between heaven and earth felt thin. But I’ve also felt this in my own home. Just having a designated place in your home where you spend time alone with God in prayer can usher in moments where the veil between realms grows thin.

And sometimes, it happens while serving others. Jesus makes clear how important the poor and marginalized are to Him. When we humble our hearts to serve others we often encounter God’s presence in ways we weren’t even expecting.

What I’ve learned is that by making room in your life, spiritually and physically, we open up moments where God can feel near. And although we already have His Spirit dwelling in us (and so He is always near), He gives us reminders that this earthly world is temporary, much like He showed Jacob, Moses, Solomon and the three disciples. There is something much greater waiting for us on the other side of the veil.

I do not always feel the thin place every moment of every day, however my awareness and openness has changed my experiences dramatically. And when those moments do come, I notice them now.

I pray you encounter a thin place experience today!

Sister in Christ,

Amy