Faith Words: Time Away

I've spent the past few days in Dallas with my husband and several good friends at the Linger Conference at Watermark Church.  The conference is designed to give you the opportunity to get out of your regular routine and linger in the presence of God.  It's been excellent - wonderful praise and preaching.  It's been good to get away.

I've enjoyed the time spent with my friends.  I see these friends almost weekly in our Wednesday night class. What makes this weekend different is that we actually stopped to spend time together, to linger with each other. Weekly, in class, we're focused on that week's lesson and little else.  We come in, get ready for class, have class, put things away and go home.  We visit some but not for long - no time!  This weekend, we shared meals with each, sat next to each other, worshiped with each other, took breaks with each other, discussed the messages with each other - we took time for each other.

Time away.  Time well spent.

Even my husband and I had extra time to talk - about the conference and about life - more time, fewer distractions. As much time as we spend together everyday and every week, there's always more that needs to be said, that needs to be heard.

Time away.  Time well spent.

Time with God is harder to do.  While He asks us in His word to take time to be with Him, He doesn't force Himself on us.  He waits for us to come to Him, to want to be with Him, to seek Him out and linger awhile with Him. Even at a conference designed to give you opportunity after opportunity to be with the Father, it's still my choice to take time with Him. Time to talk, to question, to wonder, to understand, to imagine.

Time away.  Time well spent.

Now that my own children are grown, on their own, with their own families, I think I understand a little better how God yearns for that time with me.  I'm happy when I look at my phone and see I have a text from one of my kids. I'm delighted when one of them calls.  I'm overjoyed when they visit in person or invite me into their homes.

A conference like this is good but it's not necessary or even enough.  I can't wait till next year's conference to take time to be in God's presence.  I need to develop the habit - even if it's forced at first - to come away with my Father.  In our time together, God nourishes my soul, He directs my steps, He comforts me, He teaches me.  In our time together, I get to pour out my heart to Him, to tell Him I love Him, to appreciate Him for who He is and what He has done and is doing.  It'll be good to get away.

Time away.  Time well spent.

Learning to linger,

Patrice

Psalm 27:4 (NIV)

One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek:
     that I may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of my life,
     to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD
and to seek Him in His temple.