It is fitting that while you are receiving this email, I am away on vacation with my family. This is a sacred time for us. During this sacred time I put away all the stuff related to “work” and focus on being with family.
It’s not easy to make this time. We are entering a very busy time of the year for a pastor. Many different things are vying for my time and attention. I wrestle with the question if I can afford to take the time. But I know the answer is that I cannot afford not to take this time.
We need the sacred spaces in our lives. It is the sacred spaces that allow God to breath life into our spirits. The sacred spaces restore our energy and our passion. They give us opportunity to see the big picture. They allow us to connect with what is truly important. They provide insight, fuel creativity, and get us thinking outside the box.
What are the sacred spaces? Here are a few examples:
- Morning devotions.
- Family dinners without television or digital devices.
- Sunday morning worship.
- Family vacations without email or phone calls from work.
- An afternoon nap or quiet time.
- Retreat for planning, review, and reflection.
- Date night with your spouse.
- 8 hours of sleep at night
Also know it is not just about making time for the sacred spaces. It is also giving focus to the spaces. We set aside Sunday morning for worship, but instead of focusing on connecting with God our mind is running through our Sunday afternoon activities. Another example is when we make time for the family dinner, but we bring our digital devices to the table. When we allow the world to encroach upon this space, the space is no longer sacred.
The sacred spaces are getting squeezed out of our overcommitted lives. We are not better off for it. Recognize that one of the most spiritual things you can do is to take a nap. We dismiss it as something that is non-productive and therefore not beneficial. But the science behind it shows there is great benefit to naps. A lack of sleep will have much the same effect as too much alcohol on the quality of our work.
We live in the tyranny of the urgent. But there will always be urgent matters. Sometimes the most important thing we can do is to trust God by setting aside the urgent matters to rest. Know there is a difference between being busy and being fruitful. In John 15:5 Jesus says:
Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.
What he does not say is work harder and you will bear more fruit. He says remain. This about is rest. It is about being still. It is recognizing there is nothing more important than the relationship we have with Jesus. Everything else is a distraction from what is truly important. If this one relationship is not right, then nothing else will be right. Sacred spaces is ultimately about making space for Jesus.
I want to leave you with the following poem called “The Difference” by Grace L. Naessens:
I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day;
I had so much to accomplish, I didn’t have time to pray.Problems just tumbled about me and grew heavier with each task;
Why doesn’t God help me, I wondered; He answered, “You didn’t ask.”I wanted to see joy and beauty, but the day toiled on, gray and bleak;
I wondered why God didn’t show me – He said, “But you didn’t seek.”I tried to come into God’s presence; I used all my keys at the lock;
God gently and lovingly chided, “My child, you didn’t knock.”I woke up early this morning and paused before entering the day;
I had so much to accomplish that I had to take time to pray.
Larry Sewell, says
Thank you Pastor Phil for this reminder to take the time to have Sacred Spaces in our lives. This is one thing that I struggle with quite frequently. I need to shut out the “busy” and give more time for God each day.
joan says
I thank God for using you to remind me that nothing is bigger than our relationship. It was a wake up call to number my days.
mml says
Excellent reminder with applicable real life strategies. I am always trying to be “devoted Mar”y, while I find myself being “busy Martha”. Thank you, many blessings!
Jason Lennon says
“I had so much to accomplish but I just had to pray” That remains something I need to work on, making time for prayer, devotion, commitment. Thanks for a great read.