Sanctuary with God

The retreat had been long past needed. After a full summer of revivals, camps, and retreats, and pasturing a growing church, I was long over due for some time of spiritual and physical replenishing. As the summer ended I sighed looking at the fall calendar knowing I needed some time away to seek the Lord and to be refreshed. After three of the busiest months I can ever remember in my life, at times preaching and teaching five times a day, packing and unpacking suit cases, and endless message preparation I asked my wife for a personal prayer retreat. She knew I was emotionally, spiritually, and physically depleted and graciously took up the task or raising the boys for a few days without my presence and influence.
I packed my Bible, computer, prayer journal, and as many books as I could fit into my backpack and headed down 287 South toward Palestine, TX. Overlooking a beautiful private lake and surrounded by rolling hills and towering trees changing colors in the brisk autumn winds, is a small two bedroom rustic cabin I have made pilgrimage to for the past twelve years.
Upon arriving, I quickly unloaded my things from the truck and set up my computer and unpacked my books. My host graciously left me a four wheeler to get about the four hundred acre retreat out in the back. I quickly grabbed my journal, Bible, and a pen and was out the door headed for a scenic spot situated right above the lake and nestled up to a deer sanctuary.
It took less than fifteen minutes for me to get out of my truck, unpack, and be in my favorite secluded outdoor spot letting my soul exhale the pressures and demands of life in ministry and inhaling the fresh presence of God in the stillness and solitude of that sacred place.
In between prayers, I would take gazing looks all around me to bask in the glory of God displayed in brilliant colors in nature. In the distance I kept hearing the splashing of water as large mouth bass danced in the brisk fall winds in East Texas.
My focus gradually moved from the lake to the sloping hill to my right, where a herd of white tail deer were grazing. Several bucks paraded in this heard which caused me to think about the fact that deer season was only weeks away. Those bucks, holding nice racks of antlers, did not seem the least bit concerned that soon, their companions in other fields outside the game sanctuary, in the pine thickets would be running and hiding for their lives amidst the thunderous roars of four wheelers and gun shots.
Those deer I watched had nothing to fear, because the
It took me less than fifteen minutes for me to get out of my truck, unpack, and be in my chair letting my soul exhale the pressures and demands of life in ministry and inhaling the fresh presence of God in the stillness and solitude of that sacred place.
In between prayers, I would take gazing looks all around me to bask in the glory of God displayed in brilliant colors in nature. In the distance I kept hearing the splashing of water as large mouth bass danced in the brisk fall winds in East Texas.
Those deer I watched had nothing to fear, because they were in a game sanctuary on private property protected by high fences and locked gates. They have protection and refuge there. That was exactly what my soul needed. I needed sanctuary with God from the distractions and pressures of the world.
It takes a lot of effort and sacrifice to make those annual treks to find sanctuary with the Lord. I almost talked myself out of going several times. It is not easy to leave my wife, four little boys, and a caring congregation to go get away. I miss the precious people of First Baptist Church who love Brenda and I so much. I often miss mid-week worship during these times away. I do not get to sleep in my own bed and I am not home to cook breakfast for our four growing boys. I do not get to kiss Brenda in the morning or eat lunch with her as I do most days.
It is amazing how in less two hours my soul was able to connect with the living God and my mind was stilled, my pulse slowed, and my heart became tranquil as I sat in the presence and saturated myself in the Lord. My gaze turned upward first and then inward bringing new life and fresh revelations of His infinite glory.
I spent several amazing days in that little secluded sanctuary. I read several books, prayed for long uninterrupted times, began writing a new book, but the high light of the retreat was just meeting with God.
Each problem and challenged that loomed over me menacingly was forced to bow in humility before the Creator of this Universe. Every burden I carried for people and the problems they face I laid at the feet of Jesus. Pressures were lifted and peace was restored as I took time to worship privately and personally.
The phone did not ring, the television remained turned off, and I had no ability to even listen to music. It was quiet and the quiet was deafening. Pulling myself away to retreat is not easy. I like the thrill of the rat race. I like it when the calendar is full, the computer is humming, the messages are being prepared for and delivered, the sick are visited, plans are laid for the future, the pages of books are being turned, new sentences and paragraphs are crafted into new books being authored, and I hit the pillow exhausted at night.
I can tell when all those things begin taking a toll on me though. I can tell when my regular devotions are not refueling me completely because I am overextended. Retreating to my place of sanctuary with the Lord combats all that. The truth is that you and I do not have to wait to take a trip to find sanctuary with the Lord.
Each of us can schedule lunch with the Lord in a park or in an isolated corner of a café. We can take extended drives some evenings with the radio off just to enjoy God. My favorite times are in the mornings. I love to get up early, while the rest of my family slumbers peacefully, to meet with the Lord. To get up early I have to be disciplined to go to bed early and turn the television off.
I don’t know what pressures or anxieties you are carrying today. I have no way of knowing what is going on in the inside while you pretend everything is okay on the outside. I cannot tell if you are really connected and energized in your seeking and serving God or whether you are faking it and running on spiritual fumes. I am sure your calendar is filled for weeks on end. Finding sanctuary seems far fetched.
I urge you with all my heart to carve out an hour, half a day, or even one day and night away for the primary focus of being renewed, recharged, and revived in your walk with God. In Him, you will find; peace, hope, encouragement, strength, rest, and renewed focus and vision. Without the Lord our souls become like a battery that slowly drains eventually unable to function. A lady at church just last night could not start her car because the battery was dead. She needed to be jumped off to get her car cranked.
That is was a little retreat to find sanctuary with God does. It gives us time to be jump started and to recharge our souls. We may not notice the slow drain on our souls at first but sooner or later it will manifest itself, and we will not be able to function at full capacity.
I talked to my friend today who works on that ranch I so often retreat to. We began talking about the business of the spring and summer and about m our souls. We may not notice the slow drain on our souls at first but sooner or later it will manifest itself, and we will not be able to function at full capacity.
I talked to my friend today who works on that ranch I so often retreat to. We began talking about the business of the spring and summer and about my need to go and get away for awhile before school gets out. Though the calendar looks packed we ended our conversation saying we believe God will make a way for it to happen. I hope you will not just find time but carve out time over the dining room table, in a back bedroom, out in a pasture, or in your office to find sanctuary in God as well.