I am good at feeding my body. I can eat and I do it everyday – sometimes too much. I am good at feeding my mind. I enjoy a good book or a good movie and to engage either is very satisfying.
I know how to satisfy my body and my mind but sometimes I neglect to feed my soul. Yesterday our student minister Mary Margaret went on a one day spiritual retreat. Talking to her today reminded me of my own spiritual retreat a couple of months ago. It is a day set aside to be alone and quiet before God. To some of you it sounds mystical but it’s not. It can become quite normal.
For my day alone with God I went to Ruah retreat center at Villa De Matel. That’s where MM went yesterday too. It is a place that is dedicated to silence and solitude where a person can connect to God. The day I spent there was incredible. To try to describe it is futile. Have you ever tried to describe a spiritual experience you’ve had to someone else and they just stare at you with their head leaning to one side like a puppy that just chewed your mail and is wondering why you’re so worked up?
After I left Ruah I committed to myself and to God to take my experience at Ruah home with me and spend some quality time in the presence of God as a normal part of my everyday life. What’s the difference between this spiritual retreat and a quiet time? Well they are similar, the difference is that my quiet time has become so much about productivity and knowledge gain that it is no longer about building my relationship with God. I feel like God is saying to me, “Tommy rest in me. Be quiet. Stop trying to be productive and really know me in the most intimate way. Feed your soul with me. Stop with the busyness of life and the things you see as “great matters” and be still and quiet your soul.”
I need to add a time of silence and solitude to my days so that I can feed my soul. When you see me next, ask me how I’m doing.
I know how to satisfy my body and my mind but sometimes I neglect to feed my soul. Yesterday our student minister Mary Margaret went on a one day spiritual retreat. Talking to her today reminded me of my own spiritual retreat a couple of months ago. It is a day set aside to be alone and quiet before God. To some of you it sounds mystical but it’s not. It can become quite normal.
For my day alone with God I went to Ruah retreat center at Villa De Matel. That’s where MM went yesterday too. It is a place that is dedicated to silence and solitude where a person can connect to God. The day I spent there was incredible. To try to describe it is futile. Have you ever tried to describe a spiritual experience you’ve had to someone else and they just stare at you with their head leaning to one side like a puppy that just chewed your mail and is wondering why you’re so worked up?
After I left Ruah I committed to myself and to God to take my experience at Ruah home with me and spend some quality time in the presence of God as a normal part of my everyday life. What’s the difference between this spiritual retreat and a quiet time? Well they are similar, the difference is that my quiet time has become so much about productivity and knowledge gain that it is no longer about building my relationship with God. I feel like God is saying to me, “Tommy rest in me. Be quiet. Stop trying to be productive and really know me in the most intimate way. Feed your soul with me. Stop with the busyness of life and the things you see as “great matters” and be still and quiet your soul.”
I need to add a time of silence and solitude to my days so that I can feed my soul. When you see me next, ask me how I’m doing.
A pilgrim song of David
My heart is not proud, O Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 131
My heart is not proud, O Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
But I have stilled and quieted my soul;
like a weaned child with its mother,
like a weaned child is my soul within me.
O Israel, put your hope in the Lord
both now and forevermore.
Psalm 131
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