2018, Montana, by author
I’m a biker, those of you who read my stuff even rarely can pick that up. But I desire to take bike experiences, make them captivating, and to share God lessons from them with you all. So, as you read this post, look for what you can gain from it, even if you don’t ride. Hope you’re blessed.
With the bike well packed
and ready to ride
to the Montana mountains
still snowcapped
to the varied North Dakota hills
to the North Woods of Minnesota
with abandoned homes
on functioning farms
with birch hinting
that fall comes soon
I slip away from
to do lists
bills to pay
worries and responsibilities
concerns
They all have their day
but not this one
and the presence of the former
and the absence of the latter
bring serenity to my soul
I slip away
Life gets crammed full of obligations, necessary ones. Bills to pay. Tasks to complete. Relationships to maintain. Helping others. Serving God in and outside church. But if they consume us, our time and energy and resources, they may eat away at our soul. We become one who does, not one who is. Not one with time to ponder and meditate and grow, to seek for the deeper realities of life: God, ourselves, our place in life.
Jesus faced that dilemma, drained by demands from the people he came to touch. His response? To slip away, “But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16. See also 6;12, 9:18, 9:28, 11:1). Frequently, those escapes followed heavy ministry times, like after the feeding of the 5,000.
So why should we slip away, in whatever manner works for us?
1 We give our body a chance to rest.
2 We can focus better on God with fewer distractions.
3 We can meditate and ponder when our mind isn’t consumed with other obligations.
I’ve found long bike trips work for me, along with journeys to the mountains and the beach. Sheila and I often get refreshed taking two chairs to a local beach, to just sit and soak. Maybe read. Maybe nap. Maybe converse. Maybe take a stroll. I often write in the morning, do yard work in the afternoon, then grab a book and a beer and sit by our backyard waterfall.
But find your way to slip away. Intentionally strategize before the demands fill up your schedule.
If it worked for Jesus, it might just work for us.
Kick Starting the Application
Do the obligations of life often weigh you down? What have you found works best for you to slip away? Do you regularly carve out time for it?