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A Gift from Our Family to Yours
April 12, 2026 - For the Church at the St. John Church of Christ
Spiritual Discipline: Retreat
In Ephesians 6:12 Paul describes the Spiritual life as a struggle “not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” To retreat is to make space in my life for God alone. Retreats are specific and regular times apart for quietly listening to God and delighting in his company. Retreats remove us from the daily battle into times of refreshing, retooling, renewing, and unwinding.
We must regularly retreat from the front lines of attack and spend solitary time with God. Many times today, instead of going on retreats that slow us down to listen and focus on God alone, we go on “retreats” filled with lectures, late nights, constant activity, and interaction with all kinds of people. This sort of retreating is not a bad thing. It is simply not a retreat from the busyness and distractions of life. It is not time set apart with God alone.
Retreating, in a traditional sense, is not about gaining more information. It is not getting away to get things done. It is not a way to catch up on our reading or email. Retreats are ways we pull back from the battle and truly rest. We take naps and go to bed early. In the presence of the holy One we enter into the silence and solitude and rest in God. Resting gives us the energy it takes to build our relationship with God one on one. When we are rested, we listen better. When we are rested, we notice desires as well as lies buried in our souls. The benefits of retreating often are not seen until we re-engage in the battle again. Go away and trust God with what happens in your soul.
Daily Verse of the Day
Worship Times
We meet together regularly on Sunday mornings. We would love to have you join us!
We have bible classes for all ages at 10:00 a.m. Following classes, we meet together as a church family at 11:00 a.m. for worship services.
On the first Sunday of the month we enjoy a potluck meal together following worship service.
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