Native American Pow Wow

Have you ever been to a pow wow? It was custom for a group of traveling Native Americans to set up camp in a park near the water. They would open their trailers or canopies to display crafts and foods. There were feathered headdresses, silver and turquoise jewelry and silk screen tee shirts. In the evening, there would be a bonfire of sorts and the performers would show the visitors various Native American songs and dances. The men with long feathered headdresses would beat their feet to the drum beat and chant, "HEY, ya, ya, ya ya" It was exotic. It was charming, it was spiritual.

Have you heard the Muslim call to prayer? The single voice carrying over the city in that mournful, sing song chat. Isn't it charming? Isn't it exotic? Isn't it far more spiritual than anything we see at home? Does it make you want to participate in this exotic ritual? I can understand that it would!

Have you ever heard the Jews at the wailing wall? The prayers being sung in a different tongue. It too sounds so exotic, so charming, so spiritual.

To these people I have mentioned, these things are not exotic or charming. They are common, everyday events but yes, they are spiritual. They are all in the same genre as a Christian sitting on a park bench singing:

"When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea-billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, 'It is well, it is well with my soul'.

My sin - O the bliss of this glorious tho't - My sin, not in part but the whole, Is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more: Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

And, Lord, haste the day when the faith shall be sight, The clouds be rolled back as a scroll, The trump shall re-sound and the Lord shall descend, "Even so" - it is well with my soul.