Reach Up, Reach
Out, Re-Treat
We should be
reaching out to the Lord just like a toddler does as he reaches for his mommy
wanting to be held. At times, mom isn’t paying attention so the little one grabs
ahold of her. We can do the same with the Lord, even though our Father is always paying
attention to us. We can be comforted and know we are safe and secure in His arms. We don’t have
to wait until we need something to reach up, we just need to want to be with
Him. Desiring to be in the presence of God pleases Him. He tells us to draw
near to Him, and He will draw near to us.
Many will go
on a retreat looking for His presence. Getting ahold of God is refreshing and your
faith can be recharged when you’re sitting at the feet of Jesus.
The word “retreat”
is defined as -
1. the
forced or strategic withdrawal of an army or an armed force before an enemy, or
the withdrawing of a naval force from action.
2. the act
of withdrawing, as into safety or privacy; retirement; seclusion.
3. a place
of refuge, seclusion, or privacy
4. an
asylum, as for the insane.
5. a
retirement or a period of retirement for religious exercises and meditation.
Retreat is an
old French word meaning to draw back. Often times we need to draw back from the
world and all its busy-ness… draw back from all the noise around us, all the
confusion going on in our life. We need to focus on the Lord. We need to RE-TREAT
ourselves to God’s presence. Often times we forget that we can step into the
Throne room and just be with our Heavenly Father.
Treat
yourself to the Lord just like Mary did. She chose to sit at Jesus feet instead
of worrying about everything going on. She wanted to be in His presence and
grab ahold of every word He was speaking to her. Mary wanted to shake off this
world and be in His glory, breathe His goodness, His very essence. Give yourself this gift. Reach
out for the Lord. Soak yourself in His presence and know His existence. Receive
His love, His joy, His peace. Mary chose the good thing. She chose to be
revived, replenished, and refilled with God’s gifts.
I have a
little collection of angels. My favorite one is on her knees, looking and reaching
her hands up to the Lord. She could just
be reaching out to God as if to be with Him or praising Him. As this little trinket represents, whether we
hold our hands out in worship and praise or desiring to be with Him, it blesses
God. This also blesses our own soul. Choosing
God brings Him honor.
The Lord is
always with you. He never leaves you. If anyone confesses that Jesus is the Son
of God, God abides in him, and he in God. (1 John 4:2) Expect His presence,
especially when you reach out to Him. Make it your heart’s desire to want to be
with your Father. Follow the Lord wherever He takes you. Follow His glory. You
can be in His continuous presence.
By day the
LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by
night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day
or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night
left its place in front of the people. Exodus 13:21-22 The word "cloud" in the
Bible is representative of God’s glory, His love, His radiance, His brightness-
His light. Follow the Lord wherever He leads you. Stay in His presence. Look
for the Him- watch for Him at all times. Seek His ways and yearn to walk in
them. Pursue God! Hunger and thirst
after Jesus. Be passionate for Him and set your heart on Him alone. Make Jesus
your FIRST desire, your first thought. Forsake all others and everything else.
When Jesus comes first in your life, everything else will follow. He tells us
in Matthew 6:33 to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all
these things will be added to you.
The earth
shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was
moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel (Psalm 68:8)
Prayer to
the Lord:
Lord, Your presence is powerful, it causes the earth to shake. Heavens pour out rain in Your presence. Mountains
quake at Your presence. Your voice is in Your presence, inspiration comes from You
in Your presence. The earth trembles, I tremble. I am in awe in Your presence
Father. My favorite place to be is in your presence Lord. I long to be with You
Father.
The Lord to His children: My favorite place to be is in your presence child. Open your heart. When
you do this, My rain comes into your presence, My voice comes to your presence.
My inspiration comes into your presence. You are filled with awe in My presence
and I am blessed with yours. I long to be with you. My presence is powerful.
Open your
heart up to the Lord and let Him in. Give Him your praise, worship Him, and give Him
all the glory. Reach out to the Lord and grasp His blessings. Put your head on
His chest and hear His heartbeat. Treat yourself to the presence of God; bless
Him with your presence.
The Lord is
near to all who call on Him, to all who call on His in truth. (Psalm 145:18)
Call upon Jesus- Draw near to Him, and He’ll draw near to you.
Sacrifice
the things of the world, put them away. Sacrifice brings down the fire of the
Lord. Step into His presence and re-treat yourself to His gloriousness.
