A day away with your Heavenly Father. That’s what we call it. Once or twice a year I ask our entire staff here at White Oak to take a day away. Everyone does it. Our pastoral team, housekeeping team, administrative team, everyone. This day away is important to us. So much so that we ask each staff member to set aside their work they do for the church and spend a day simply focusing on who God is. Some of us go to coffee shops with our Bibles. Others spend time fishing, or at a park, or hiking. Some journal and spend deeper time in prayer. The intent is simply to be away from the hustle and busyness of life and to give ourselves over to God and his voice and presence.
This isn’t a new concept. Jesus did it all the time.
35 Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. -Mark 1:35
45 Immediately He made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while He sent the multitude away. 46 And when He had sent them away, He departed to the mountain to pray. -Mark 6:45-46
16 So He Himself often withdrew into the wilderness and prayed. -Luke 5:16
Often the prophets of the Old Testament were called away by God into solitary places. After all, it’s on a lonely mountain where Moses is called into the presence of God.
There were two things related to this practice that Jesus knew quite well. One, he knew that the world and all its busyness and temptations would erode one’s heart. In order to resist the temptations of over-work, full schedules, distractions, and sin he would need to withdraw to spend time with his Father, hearing his voice instead of the cacophony of worldly voices. Two, he knew that doing the work of ministry didn’t equate to quality time with the one from whom the work originated and for whom the work was being done. Some of us get caught up in a lot of good things but we neglect time in worship and the offering of our hearts in silence and solitude before our Heavenly Father.
I think it vital that we, too, draw ourselves away from the regularities of our busy lives. And I’m not only talking about a 10-minute prayer time (which is so good and needed). I’m actually talking about some extended time to pull away and simply to be with God. This may mean an extended lunch break at work to pray, worship, and listen to God. It may mean a half day of going to a park to walk and read Scripture. It may be a couple hours one evening set aside instead of running three different directions with the kids or on errands. These times are critical for us! We are citizens of a different Kingdom. We live here but we weren’t made for here. We were made for heaven. We need to orient ourselves heavenward so that we don’t get caught up in the allusion that our lives are to be spent on worldly things.
This is one reason why some early Christians and church leaders escaped the bustling cities of Rome or Alexandria and fled into the deserts of North Africa. They could sense that their love for money, position, sexuality, or cultural assimilation was overtaking their love for the things of Jesus.
On July 16 and 17 a team of White Oak staff and volunteers spent two days off-site dreaming and planning for the next season at WOCC. Most of those present were part of our Teaching Team. This team regularly meets to plan, discuss, and write for our sermon series throughout the year. Once per year, however, we retreat away someplace for a couple days to plan for the next year. God led us down a path we didn’t quite expect when it comes to the focus and theme for our ministry next year.
Much of what we’ll teach, do, and talk about will be focused on what is happening to us when we put down some things of this world and draw near to God. Can’t wait to share it with you!
How busy are you? How distracted are you? How much time in your day or week does God get your undivided attention? It’s something to consider and it’s critical that we do.
Getting away,
Nathan
Nathan Hinkle
Lead Pastor
White Oak Christian Church