rest, part one

Rest.

Those of you familiar with my writings will know that this is a dear theme to me :-).

In our culture we view rest as a reward for faithfulness. We plan on resting after the project is complete, after we get that promotion, after that busy season, after we retire, or after...we die?!

However, as I study rest in the bible, it seems that more than a reward for faithfulness, rest is a prerequisite for fruitfulness.

Now some may challenge that and say, "But, in the Creation account, God worked for six days and then rested on the seventh."

True.

But what was God doing before Day One?

Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing several thoughts on resting in the midst of real life. I hope you enjoy them!

taking a 24-hour prayer retreat, part seven

7. retreat flow continued: variations and closure

This flow of worship, repentance, rest, listening, and intercession normally takes me to the end of my 24 hours. Occasionally, there is space for another nap, a long bath, or a few chapters of a favorite book.

Several times a year I take longer retreats:

• One 48-hour retreat is devoted to reviewing my previous year's personal inventory (a collection of prayerful goals spiritually, physically, relationally...for that year) and preparing the new year's inventory.
  
• Another 48-hour retreat is devoted to reviewing the year's journals and daytimer and gathering together words of wisdom, correction, stories for the kid's journals, and ideas for writing.
• Once a year I head out to a desert in Arizona for a 5-6 day retreat that's simply devoted to loving Jesus.
  

The final hour of a retreat is very precious to me. I try to savor it with quietness and a posture of love toward Jesus. I may take a walk with him or kneel at a favorite place of prayer.

Even as I pack and transition, I try to keep the retreat-mindset. I am not leaving the retreat, the retreat is coming with me! The quietness, the trust, the forgiveness, the re-centered peace...it does not stay behind in the B&B.

Like a good perfume, the retreat lingers. Barry always notices increased patience and joy in me when I return. I see the fruit in clarity of thought and a decrease in worry. Not too long ago, my dear 4 year old Keona asked me when she can begin taking prayer retreats!

14 years ago when I first started taking regular prayer retreats, I thought of them as a luxury. Now I know they are a necessity for me. My hope is that these thoughts on taking a retreat have been helpful for you.

Next week we'll start a new series! Feel free to email me with any ideas you have for topics: contact@truthportraits.com.

taking a 24-hour prayer retreat, part six

6. retreat flow continued: listening and intercession

Worship, repentance, rest...next for me comes a time of listening, of waiting. Spiritually, waiting on God is more than resigning ourselves to the reality that we're not in control. It's a posture of attentiveness. We wait upon God because he's worthy of waiting for--whether or not he ever speaks.

In the silence, I often sense God drawing my attention toward needs and inviting me to partner with him in prayer. Please note that this is a different starting point than me laying my list before God; than me initiating the prayer direction. God knows my needs. But to be honest, there are many times when THE issue I thought was most pressing never makes it onto my intercession list or is way down the list in priority. There's something perspective-inducing in asking God to establish my prayer priorities.

Responding to his lead, I begin to pray over an area or issue. I may write things to remember in my journal or sense specific points of action to implement when I return home. Sometimes the prayer emphasis is simple and only takes a few minutes. Other times I've fasted a meal to focus in intercession.

taking a 24-hour prayer retreat, part five

5. retreat flow continued: repentance and rest

Focusing on God alone almost always leads me gently into repentance. I think that worship is one of the healthiest and safest preparations for repentance. The revelation of sin is clean because it's overshadowed by God's goodness and greatness and opposed to initiated by self-perfectionism or some fear-inspired "witch" hunt for error.

When I become aware of something, I normally offer it to God quietly. Sometimes I'll change posture, perhaps kneel, and ask his forgiveness. I'll wait for a few minutes to pause and listen or journal. And then continue with worship.

Basilea Schlink said that, "Jesus and the repentant sinner belong together." She believed that we're never closer to God than when we are asking his forgiveness because reconciliation and forgiveness is what Jesus died for. So I see these times of repentance and integral to--not opposed to--the focus on worship.

Often I'll come to a peace-filled pause after investing in scripture praise. And then I'll often nap. Yep, I'll put in my ear plugs and snuggle under a blanket and nap as long as I can. It's fabulous! As I fall asleep I often think of Father God's eyes watching over me. These times of rest are holy too. They refresh my spirit as well as my body. Sometimes I'll spend an entire retreat simply cycling from worship through repentance to rest.

Depending on wiring, some may feel they need to emerge from a retreat with something tangible like an answer to a burning prayer or a new teaching...But personally, answers and productivity are not what I hope/look for in a prayer retreat. Resting with him is.