Monday, April 04, 2011

Retreat

The annual GCBC Women’s Retreat was this past weekend. It had been several years since I had attended the gathering that convenes at Camp Warren for one weekend (Friday eve - Sunday noon) a year.

The group of women, young and ‘seasoned’, spent time in worship and listening to challenging messages based around the theme of friendship. Wonderful meals and great table talk seasoned the time spent together.

A personal highlight of the weekend retreat was the time I spent alone late Saturday afternoon as I walked beside the peaceful lake at the camp ground. The sun was bright and the sky was clear blue. I listened as the birds are beginning to sing a more convincing Spring song...and I observed the branches of the bare trees that are also testifying to the change of season as they prepare to burst forth with full bloom of flower and leaf.

Retreat for me was in those moments of quiet, meditation, prayer, and God’s Word thanks to the Daily Audio Bible podcast. Retreat was basking in the warm, early Spring sunlight, embracing the moment. Laying flat on my back, looking up to the sky, these words, this song, inspired by Isaiah 40:8, went through my mind...

“I See You” by Rich Mullins

Lord, You’re leading me

With a cloud by day

And then in the night

The glow of a burning flame

And everywhere I go, I see You

And You take my hand

And You wash it clean

I know the promised land

Is light years ahead of me

And everywhere I go, I see You

Well, the eagle flies

And the rivers run

I look through the night

And I can see the rising sun

And everywhere I go, I see You

Well, the grass will die

And the flowers fall

But Your Word’s alive

And it will be after all

And everywhere I go, I see You

I am so thankful for the weekend away...surrounded by the raw beauty of life reawakening after a long, brutal winter. The power of Jesus’ resurrection from the grave and promise of restoration are so perfectly alluded to by Spring. Indeed, these days...everywhere I go I see Him!
The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God stands forever.
Isaiah 40:8

1 comment:

riTa Koch said...

Beautiful words, wonderful truths!
(I like the way you refer to my age category--'seasones' ;)