Making a withdrawal

Making a withdrawal...

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Simon and his companions went to look for him, and when they found him, they exclaimed: "Everyone is looking for you!" (Mark 1:35-37)

"Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (Luke 5:15)

There's a pattern in the gospels of Jesus withdrawing from the crowds to pray and be alone with His Father. The crowds find Him. He ministers. Then He pulls away from the crowds again to pray and have some extended time alone with His Father. The crowds find Him… You get the idea.

Many people in ministry pride themselves on being available 24/7. Jesus didn't. He was always available to God and often available to people. And he asks us to follow his pattern of withdrawal...

And He said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest a while." (For there were many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.) (Mark 6:31)

We live in a loud and busy world with loud and busy lives. God is always speaking. Can I hear him through the noise? Not always.

I've just returned from a silent retreat. And I am reminded again of how much I need it. "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him." (John 8:29) Jesus always did the things that pleased God. Can you imagine? I want to do the things that are pleasing to Him, but I fall short time and time again. How can I do the things that please God? Check in, pray without ceasing, keep my mind stayed on Him, let Him live out His supernatural life in me.

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30 The Message)

How do you do recover your life, take a real rest, learn the unforced rhythms of grace, live freely and lightly in the 21st century? That what Psalm One Ministries is all about--sinking our roots deep into His streams of water:

How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,

Nor stand in the path of sinners,

Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,

And in His law he meditates day and night.

And he will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water,

Which yields its fruit in its season,

And its leaf does not wither;

And in whatever he does, he prospers. (Ps 1:1-3)

Through Bibles studies, teaching retreats, Days of Refreshing, Silent Retreats, Semi-silent Retreats--however I minister--my goal is always to put your hand into the hand of Jesus, get out of the way and let God have His way with you. We train to develop the spiritual disciplines that will surrender our lives to God second by second. Much of what we do is designed to slow us down, quiet our minds and hearts so that we can really listen to HIS mind and heart. The silence and communion we seek is ever meant to be an end in itself, but always a time to regroup, renew, refocus before returning to the busyness and wackiness of day-to-day life.

What happens in the Holy of Holies…and hopefully continues once we return to crazy life?

	Finding guidance
	Learning to develop holy habits
	Forgiveness
	Learning to be satisfied with God and God alone
	Tuning my ears to hear His voice
	Rich time in His Word
	Pouring out my heart before Him
	Living centered on Christ
	Praying without ceasing

Don't be content with a "good enough" relationship with God. God calls all His people--housewives and accountants and engineers and teachers and mailmen and students--to an relationship in which His life is recreated in us. This is not a calling for monks and super-saints. I am no one special. Just one woman seeking to touch the hem of His robe. But He keeps reaching down and taking my face into His hands! Lean into His heart and hear it beating in staggering love for you.

What's it like to spend a few days alone with Jesus?

And He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His own. And the joy we share as we tarry there none other has ever known.

Really. It's not just a song.

We may think you can't afford to pull away for some time with Him. But we can't afford NOT to. If we don't, we will live life on our own power, our own agenda, possibly stopping occasionally to ask Him to "rubber stamp" our plans, but never really living His desires for us.

How can you withdraw? Pull away. Dial it down. Get Jesus' perspective and power… What kind of "withdrawal" are you ready for? Two minutes of inward silence waiting in line at the grocery store? 15 minutes of Bible reading and prayer? An hour to journal and lay your life before Him? A Day of Refreshing to get some teaching and direction as you stretch yourself in extended time with God? A 24-72 hour silent retreat to dive into solitude and silence with God? It's not a competition! And it won't just happen. I must make a conscious decision to make time and space for God in my life.

As that great theologian Nike says, "Just Do It!"

Trying to walk in step with His Spirit,

Linda