Safe Harbor – The Spiritual Discipline of Solitude

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.” -William G.T. Shed

I admit I’ve been addicted to the show “Deadliest Catch” for a few years now.

It’s crazy, wild and it truly is a rugged dangerous living.

I was watching one episode where one of the skippers had to bring their fishing vessel into port because of a mechanical issue. The seas were raging and the weather was not desirable, but they had to get to harbor for safety and repairs. Of course the tv show paints it with great drama and suspense, but in this instance they were extremely worried about getting to the docks and getting out of the storm.

Are you in need of getting out of the storm in your life today?

Has the storm been brewing around you for a while now, swirling and ebbing, crashing against your vessel and threatening to capsize you? Do you feel threatened and exposed, fearful of being washed away?

we all need safe harbor! I think the Apostle Paul felt this way many times in the midst of his persecution and imprisonment. He even knew a little bit about being literally shipwrecked (this happened to him not one or two times, but THREE times!). He even wrote about it; “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9

Safe harbor is vital for all of us to have. Do you have a safe harbor? Safe harbor needs to be a place where you can go and find rest. A place that will shelter you from the storms. A place where you know the storms of life can’t harm you. Jesus said;
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

Safe Harbor is available –

But we have got to be willing to act on it…to actually go to the safe harbor. We have to be willing to admit that these storms are more than we can handle. Admit that we need help and our strength just isn’t enough to get us through what we’re going through.

He waits for us to come to Him. He doesn’t just want us to come to Him when we’re in danger…but that’s a start. Sometimes we come to Him only after we’ve hit rock bottom. Sometimes we come to Him only after all of our other resources dry up. Yet He is always faithful! He is always available.

May I offer you a little ticket to the safe harbor?

It’s just a gentle word of advice and help. It’s a small thing that ~~I’ve learned~~ I’m still learning…

Solitude with God:

It might sound kind of funny, but being silent before the Creator of the Universe really and truly helps! There is no better place to go than to God for guidance and for a re-connection with Him.

We live in a world where we are surrounded by sounds and noise every day. There are distractions in our homes and in our workplaces…so how do we find these moments of solitude with God? Is it even possible?

Yes it is! But the real question then becomes are we truly willing to seek out these moments with God? Are we prepared to sit in silence before Him? Truly finding solitude in God’s safe harbor requires us to devote or set aside purposeful time with Him. Without our dedication to the practice of solitude we will find ourselves hopelessly bored and defeated by it. You have to prepare your mind and your life so that you can actually sit in silence before Him.

Anything worth doing takes work. An Olympian can’t simply show up to an Olympic event without first having spent countless months, days even years practicing and training. So it is with the spiritual discipline of solitude. It’s called a discipline for a reason.

dis·ci·pline

ˈdisəplin/

noun

1.

the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience.

“a lack of proper parental and school discipline”

Discipline takes real work and practice. Sitting in silence before God will take work! Tuning out distractions and sounds/noises of our every day life will take work! But it’s worth it!

Do you need safe harbor today?

Whether you’re burnt out, washed up, overly tired, stressed out, overwhelmed…whatever the case today, perhaps it’s time you became plugged back into the true source of power in this world! Perhaps it’s time to realign your priorities which need to include these vital moments of solitude before a God who wants to encourage, strengthen, support and love you.

Are you ready?

-Just a thought for you today.

(These thoughts and images were put together specifically for http://www.pastorsponderings.org but are free for anyone to use in the express hope that God’s word may be heard and seen. May all the glory be given to God!)

January 23, 2014 0

Finding Love

I started with hope –

because I think hope begins things

makes us sing…

but faith and love…they have to be included too.

they just kind of go together don’t they?

You really can’t have one

without

the

Every one needs,

craves, desires,

hopes, wishes,

dreams, aspires

yearns, waits

for

Songs are written about it

poems are rhythmically charged with it

countless books bleed from the heart of love.

How do we ?

How do we

em·brace IT?

emˈbrās/

verb

hold (someone) closely in one’s arms, esp. as a sign of affection.

“Aunt Sophie embraced her warmly”

hug, take/hold in one’s arms, hold, cuddle, clasp to one’s bosom,clasp, squeeze, clutch;….

How do we flourish and thrive in it ?

Love makes the world go around…not money, not fortune and fame…but

It shines in the darkness,

paints over our mess

helps us confess

blesses us…love…

captivates, motivates, escalates, elevates…us.

Love always perseveres! Always, always, always, always…always.

Have you found love yet?

Is it worth finding at all?

True love,

God’s love…

It begins here…ends here…

If we find it here,

and cherish it here

depend on it here

Then from here

to —————————————–> There

Love will be.

Real authentic,

no hidden agendas

No…

From the source of Love,

God.

Almighty

We will

to the only

real source of

love.

Find love today.

He is waiting.

With arms wide

Open.

This.

Is.

Love.

Begin with this one simple truth:
You are loved! You matter to God! You are important to Him! He loves you so very much! From this point of reference, may you find Him, and find love!

(These thoughts were written specifically for “Pastorsponderings.org” but they are free so that others might find love and hope through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen and to God be there glory!)

January 22, 2014 1

Elijah in You (Poem)

“But He wasn’t in the earthquake or fire” (1Kings 19)

It is at wits-end that God is there
but He is also there when tears fall
before you call, He has heard your heart
from the start, you’re never alone.
Sometimes like Elijah depressed and dejected
emotionally high yet fear has boldly infected
the soul with a broken heart inside
waiting for God to show up as you hide…
no, not fire, or earthquake He’s in
but His still small voice, He knows where you’ve been
you might feel weak and powerlessly alone
but find strength, He will come
He won’t leave you alone,
Hold on, don’t you quit, or lose sight
See, here He comes with power and might
don’t lose fight, don’t believe the lie
the strength you now have, comes from on high.
You don’t need to call down fire from above
you don’t need to have visions to receive His love
but faithfulness in spite of the place
His rescue comes in full as does His grace.

January 22, 2014 0

Means of grace (a poem)

Sometimes this means of grace
is a long drawn-out humble confession
other times our cynicism needs to be
brutally murdered, quartered and beheaded.
Our human eyes are so frail and poor
blocking the wonders, the majesty – His love.

Sometimes this means of grace
falls into our laps, haphazardly
and quite by surprise.
We realize how quickly life can change
we attempt to rearrange on our own
but fall so terribly flat on our faces
we can’t win these spiritual races
in their places we need His grace.

Sometimes this means of grace,
blanket heavy, warms us from the cold
boldly plucking our guilt from frozen
finger tips
while we utter from our lips
the prayers we’ve been taught
yet only when His soothing hands
touch our skin do we ever let
it reach our hearts…

How damned we are without it.
how utterly wasted away
frail worn and dirtied from the fray…
how damned we are without it.

January 21, 2014 0

Seeking Peace and Quiet

Do you remember the most serene place you’ve ever been to? Was it on a warm beach with the sand between your toes? Was it curled up on your couch or favorite reading nook as you were riveted by an exciting new book? Or perhaps you’re a hot chocolate or hot tea kind of person…and you found your peace and quiet in a soothing hot beverage…ah…peace.

Have you found peace today? Perhaps your peace came within a still solitary five minutes within your office or workspace…maybe it came to you just before you had to pull your tired butt out of bed. Where ever or whenever you have found peace cherish it, relish it.

There is peace still to be found here on this earth. Peace comes in many shapes and sizes and in many platforms and environments. Take the time to find peace today. If you are searching for it, my prayer is that you will find it.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalms 46:1

And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.” Colossians 3:15

January 15, 2014 0

I’m Looking for God

The pastor said God was everywhere
And so I’m looking for him.
They say he’s in the world today
But I’m not seein much of him
In how we treat each other
In how wars are fought
In how innocent blood is spilt
You see I’m looking for God
But I’m having doubt’s he’s here…

I went looking in a church too
To find out where he’d been
Talked to couple of folks there
Full of wind in their sails
But their anchors weren’t pulled
Going round in circles, it seems.
Is God here in this church
With crimson window panes
And creaking pews with people
In them who are equally creaking?
I’m not so sure…

I am looking for God
But the question is has he been looking for me?
Or am I just blind as a bat?
Am I reciting all the wrong jargon?
Am I wearing the wrong clothes…
No, God doesn’t care about that stuff,
Does he care for me?

Look, all I want to be is genuine
All I want to do is help and hope and love
And leap in places that faith will carry me…
I’m looking for God, have you seen him?
What’s he like?
Will you please tell me?

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” – 1 Peter 3:15-16

January 12, 2014 0

“The God that never lets go!”

I was listening to music on the radio as I was dropping my children off at school this morning. Minding my own business, when God decided to pop in for a visit. Perhaps it had been a while. Perhaps, if this was a time for confessions I might admit to getting caught up in work and other things…perhaps.

Isn’t it funny how God can speak to us in so many different ways? We can go to an art gallery and suddenly a painting of flowers will strike a chord in our hearts and we would know that God had something to do with it. Or perhaps we see God in other people as the driver just ahead of you casually pays for your toll as well…God was there. Or even in the midst of utter despair, pain, hurt, loss, we might read something that gently and quietly reminds us that God is present with us. He is here with you now as you read this…do you believe that? I do. His presence is with us always, even to the ends of the earth, even when all hell breaks loose around us, even when we are blind to His passing…He is there!

…back to the music on the radio…

I was sitting in my van and two songs back to back touch my heart in a way that I couldn’t deny His presence there. The first was a song by Mumford and Sons called “Below my feet”. It wasn’t so much the entire song but the refrain that captured my heart for a moment:

” Keep the earth below my feet
For all my sweat, my blood runs weak
Let me learn from where I have been
Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn
Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn”

As I heard those words I pondered that last sentence; “Keep my eyes to serve, my hands to learn”…but I said it like a prayer to the Lord. Lord, keep my eyes to serve and my hands to learn…. I didn’t lose control of the vehicle but I could feel His presence there and I may as well have been in church.

The very next song that came on was a song by the David Crowder Band called “You never let go”. Its words go like this:

When clouds veil the sun and disaster comes
Oh my soul, oh my soul
When waters rise and hope takes flight
Oh my soul, oh my soul, oh my soul

Ever faithful, ever true
You, I know, You never let go

You never let go, You never let go
You never let go
You never let go, You never let go
You never let go

When clouds brought rain and disaster came
Oh my soul, oh my soul
When waters rose and hope had flown
Oh my soul, oh my soul, oh my soul

Ever faithful, ever true
You, I know, You never let go

I was in church in my van…God was very present. He reminded me of just how important it is to not only serve Him but to always look for Him in every moment of my day. He’s here right now wanting so desperately to fellowship and commune with you and me. And His promise to us is that He will never let go.

-Both songs will be linked below.

Just a thought for today.

January 10, 2014 0

“Arise my soul”…words to ponder!

Arise my soul, arise,
Shake off thy guilty fears;
The bleeding sacrifice
in my behalf appears;
Before the throne my surety stands,
my name is written on his hands.
(Charles Wesley)

I’ve been humming the tune to this hymn, yet the poetic words are running through my brain like a train that won’t stop churning and chugging along…I think I can, I think I can, I think I can… Call it the obsessive mind running in a circular motion very much like a NASCAR track…but yet it’s something more…something deeper, more disturbing.

The words have struck a chord in me. Plucked the wrong string that kind of stings yet affirms to me that there is something more to give. Something more to sacrifice. Something more to surrender and kill that is of the old self still attempting to crawl off of the altar…stubborn as ever! The words are visceral, bone on bone, marrow sucked out and pain depicted in His suffering. Am I willing to allow Him in…like this? Am I really ready to commit to a deeper, more personal relationship that throws open the curtains to my deepest, darkest sins and embarrassments. As the curtains are pulled back and His light burns and shines upon me, revealing how dirty and filthy this place truly is… Yet, If I were to reconsider this deeper calling, I will come to the obvious conclusion that I am already naked before the One who shed His blood for me. That He already sees me for who I am, who I have been, and who I could be. He already perceives and knows my guilt and shame. Perhaps I am like the child who is covering his eyes and saying “you can’t see me”, when all along it has been me that hasn’t seen all along.

“Arise my soul, arise
Shake off thy guilty fears…”

What is it that I am afraid of? That when He finally sees me, the real me, that I he will shake his head a walk away? Or will he laugh? Am I afraid to let go? To lose control? Do I fear for my identity? Why have I waited this long to get to this point when all along He has patiently waited for me? These words aren’t so much about my Salvation as it is about my holiness, or lack there of. Am I afraid to admit that I am a scared little child in the face of His holiness? Perhaps.

I am humming the tune…and letting these words slip in quietly and solemnly. I am pondering His still small voice, and that of His eternal patience with me. Savior, hold my hand and lead me.

January 7, 2014 0

The church piano is playing “turn eyes upon Jesus”
when their eyes are on their phones
checking status’ and messages
but the Spirit’s call gets sent right to voicemail.
The complaints of old parishioners
why are there less and less?
Perhaps if smiles instead of frowns
warmth instead of winter cold
were expressed.

The prayers of the selfish, the haves, and greedy
out weigh the care or concern for the needy
wrong motives, hatred and pride
breaking down families all trapped inside…the church.

turn your eyes upon…money?
turn your eyes upon…sunday (even)?
turn your eyes upon…women and men?
No, start again.
Flames of His Spirit descend again!
Consume all our folly and sickness again!
Tear down our selfishness, tear down our pride
A Bride of resplendence, a bride of love

Broken and selfless, the goal of above.

Turn our eyes upon Jesus

Looking full, ever full into His face

Father, return a new to this (now) holy place.

January 7, 2014 0

Stop Giving Dirty Diapers to God!

“If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d be peace.”
― John Lennon

I was driving down the road when I saw it. It was a purple bill board. It was the color that first caught my eye (someone please pay that advertising genius). As I got closer and adjusted my “old man” eyes I read what the sign said, “Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, we all worship TV.” Perhaps the advertisers were just trying to unify us by saying we all worshiped something together, but it just didn’t sit well with me. I drove past that bill board but in a way I was still staring at it for the next ten miles. Something felt sinking in my heart…was it really true? Do we worship the television?

What is the definition of an “Idol”?

i·dol

ˈīdl/

noun

noun: idol; plural noun: idols

1.

an image or representation of a god used as an object of worship.

synonyms: icon, representation of a god, image, effigy, statue, figure, figurine,fetish, totem; More

Here’s another definition – an Idol is whatever you allow to take up and consume all of your time. How much time do we spend in church? Maybe four – seven hours a week (if you don’t work there). How much time do you spend in front of the television or perhaps the tablet device/computer screen? I would venture a guess that for the most part the hours spent here would out number the hours spent at church. But church isn’t the only place to find God is it? I mean we all own bibles don’t we? How many hours a day or even a week do we spend reading its pages?

What is consuming your time? Some might say, “well my family takes up a lot of it“, while others might say, “I work sixty hour weeks” and I certainly don’t want to sound as if I’m condemning any of that. It just hit me driving by that big purple bill board how little time I sometimes actually-physically give to God. Not just at work, but as a devoted lover and follower of God.

“Here God – take my left-overs”

It’s almost as if I’ve been saying to God, “You stay home while I go to work, I’ll be back in like eight hours…see ya!” or “Well God I’ve got more pressing things to do today, I have to catch up on all of my DVR’d shows, we’ll talk some other time”. God doesn’t have an on/off switch. He isn’t some toy you place on a shelf and only take Him down when you feel like it. God desires from us real and genuine fellowship, not our left-overs.

“CAIN & ABEL”

Do you remember Cain and Abel? (Read Genesis 4 again) Sure we remember that Cain kills his brother, but why? Because he was jealous of how he was blessed by God. But why was he blessed by God? Because Abel honored God with the first fruits and not his left-overs. Cain honored God with the scraps of his left-overs, the less desired cuts from his crops, while he feasted on prime rib of the land. Abel set apart the best of the best for God and then used the rest.

You see there’s an application here. Are you ABEL (pun intended) to give God the best of the best first? For far too long I’ve been giving Him my left-overs. I’ve been giving Him my after thoughts, my junk…my dirty diapers, and I’ve been thinking that’s good enough. WELL IT ISN’T! God didn’t send down some second rate half-wit of an angel to save us did He? No way! He sent us His best. He sent us His Son to save us from sin and death. God doesn’t want our scraps…He wants genuine fellowship with us. He wants us to set apart our hearts first for Him and then for others…then for our self. Be we get that backwards ~~sometimes~~…~~a lot of times~~…most of the time.

Stop giving God your dirty diapers, your rubbish, your “good enoughs”. Only your best will do! Maybe it’s time to turn off the television for while, or put down that novel. Maybe it’s time to let God consume you instead of you consuming stuff and work and play. Are you prepared to give God your best instead of the rest of the left-overs and the dirty diapers?

-Just a thought to consider.

“But I do know we’re deficient in some way. We are too involved in materialistic things, and they don’t satisfy us. The loving relationships we have, the universe around us, we take these things for granted.”
― Mitch Albom, Tuesdays With Morrie