Actively Retreating

Remember us, O God,
so we may not forget you this day.
Direct our steps in discipleship,
and protect our souls in faith,
that we may be steadfast in your service,
because we are secure in your love
which we know in Jesus Christ, Savior of All. Amen.

Withdrawing

We are people who like to advance. Movement forward is thought to be a good thing, a sign of growth. Newer is good, faster is better, upgrades are best. The collolary to this is that we place negative images on stepping back, withdrawing, or retreating.

John Indermark, in his book Traveling the Prayer Paths of Jesus writes that our attitudes of negating the value of retreat show up in the pallor of our spiritual lives. "The temptation in busy times is to press ahead. Prayer and renewal will have to be caught up with later when we have more time. Postponing a retreat often seems the easier thing to do, but it is also the exhausting one--far more exhausting than (searching for) a clearer view, a broader perspective, an experience of renewal." (see p. 34).

Well, it's true. We delay times of renewal, setting aside for later. But those more opportune times never arrive, unless we consciously make room for them. If you wonder, "how can I develop a more satisfying spiritual connection with God?" the answer might just be found in asking, "What am I failing to say 'no' to in order to make times of renewal a priority?"

This Lent, I invite you to join with me in a study of Indermark's book. We'll travel these prayer paths together, on Sunday mornings at 10:15, and here at this blog. If you are moving through life at break-neck speed, perhaps this study will be for you. -- Chris Keating