If I could re-title this morning's sermon I might change it to, "Creating Space for God." I find that I will fill every time void in my life from waking up till I fall asleep at night. I'll turn on the news while getting ready in the morning and read in bed until my eyes can't stay open. Any lull in activity gets filled with t.v., computer, reading, household maintenance, playing with my dogs, etc.... The only real break comes when I purposefully and intentionally create a space for God. The space does not necessarily need to be filled with my incessant rambling on and on about things I need God to do for me and f0r others. Rather, the space needs to be open for meditation, contemplation, or just simply resting in my relationship with my loving Father in Heaven.
The true beauty of my annual prayer retreats are the space that is created for me to rest in God's presence long enough to gain appreciation and understanding of things God has been trying to teach me. I recognize that my annual week of prayer is a blessing that others are not able (for many reasons) to have. My wife has begun having dates with God. She will mark off on her calendar a time range and block out all other activity. When I was in college I remember spending a night under the stars asking God to help me sort out whatever it was that was going on in my life at the time. Jesus, "often withdrew to lonely places and prayed" (Luke 5:16). What do you need to do to create space for God in your life?
1 comment:
Good thoughts yesterday. I know that it is hard to put a priority on having time alone with God. In addition to a personal struggle to do so, the world (and even many Christians) see a prayer retreat as just a vacation and not a needed event.
I think the piece that was most helpful came at the end of your sermon, reminding those of us who are not practiced in doing a prayer retreat for ourselves to not bite off more than we can chew, so to speak. And to also make it our own. What each person decides to do during the prayer retreat and how the connect with God may be very different.
Thanks for the encouragement.
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