We recently had the chance to ‘slip away’ and go ‘off the grid’ up to the Northern Territory of the United States. This is an area that I am familiar with and went to many times during my childhood. Typically, I think of most vacations as refreshing, and I hope they are for you – they – in all ways should be. And this vacation was just that – refreshing.
God’s Creation
Because having young children, packing, and getting the house ready to leave can seem completely overwhelming, I, sometimes question is it really worth it? Yes, it definitely is! It’s all the way worth it.
Being by the water is my jive. It’s astoundingly beautiful, it’s always changing, and it’s tranquility is humbling and peaceful to me. My heart almost completely melts when I see an expansive lake meet the horizon. God completely overpowers me with his creation. I hear the sound of water gently lapping against the rocks, and I am still.
It is so easy to get caught up in everyday life that I forget about the importance of refreshment. With the many tiny ripples that can interfere our day to one thrushing enormous wave that can completely knock us down at the bottom of the sand, it is easy to continue our daily rhythms with no cease. Since we’re not huge vacationers – I am reminding myself to carve out these moments of refreshment in both big and small ways.
One of my very favorite verses comes from the beginning of Psalm 23:1-3, ” The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.
Do you notice, “He makes me lie down in green pastures…?” David is being told by God to lie down. In fact, he writes that he is made to. When we find moments in our days for quiet, peace, and restoration we are fine-tuning our day. This is such a vital part of our lives, and it doesn’t have to be a vacation.
Everyday Refreshments
When was the last time you just stopped and… prayed, read a great book, got up early and enjoyed the sunset, had a great conversation with a friend, stayed up late and watched a movie, reached out to an old friend? There are so many ways in which our souls can be renewed. What are some of yours, I’d love to hear about them?
Start first by being replenished in God’s word. Psalm 3:6, ” In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight.”
Seek Him and, “(God) will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” Jeremiah 31:25. What happens when the waves begin to ripple and you see a white cap coming on the horizon? Are you worried and afraid? Don’t forget his omnipresence – even though it can seem fleeting in the moment. “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me.”
Psalm 19:7, ” The law of the Lord is perfect refreshing the soul.”
