Time Away

Years ago as I was being trained to be a church planter (I doubt planting ONE church really makes me a planter), I was given a very sage piece of advice: once a month get away and be with the Lord.

It seemed simple enough. Just go away and be with the Lord. So that's what I did...I intentionally blocked off 24 hours in my schedule each month to get away.

It was a time of listening..a time of waiting on the Lord. I'd take my Bible and a legal pad and go. Typically, the first few hours were an exercise in turning down the background news. It's amazing how much noise we live with.

When we owned a boat, it made a perfect place to retreat to. When we didn't, I'd rent a cabin or a hotel room.

Somewhere along the way I got busy. And I stopped getting away. Too many important things to do. So much to attend to.

I never realized how much perspective God can provide in just 24 hours away...until I stopped getting away. Unhealthy habits like workaholism returned. Margins disappeared. Vision, both for my personal life and the church began to get really fuzzy.

Enough is enough. It's time to get back to doing what worked...what will still work if I'll engage.

Jesus made a habit of retreating from his very fruitful ministry on a regular basis. If it worked for him, it'll work for us.

Let the retreating begin!!!

[Posted with iBlogger from my iPhone]