From Significant Isolation to Magnificent Inspiration

This is a very personal reflection.

The yearly Family Camp Retreat of SJBCI is always a time of isolation and inspiration. Since 2001, it was one progressing and developing  spiritual journey.Needless to say , a lot has been looking forward to it  for the rare opportunity of spiritual experience it generates .Family Camp retreat spiritually rejuvenates.

The places we went to for this purpose were owned, managed and operated by reputable Christian bodies,even the last one, Willow V. ( Mennonites). These places without exemption has their own merits and demerits.Like two-edged sword,facilities, amenities ,and,locations,can be contributory or detrimental to a given objective  of the given group. We have a taste of either side.

In attaining the purpose of retreat, we geared program of activities towards this end.Factors outside of our program may detract us, and depending on the severity of effect to a given person, or degree of offend to the Body,become a nuisance and thus robbing us off of focus  and breed disliking.But what we decided to do and how we use our time together  should be the weighting  indicators of our serious attempts to achieve our purpose. We have to be focus.

One profound character of Church Family Retreat is on  TOGETHERNESS. We are ONE and TOGETHER in the pursuit of the THEME. Thus, Program Schedule defines and guides the entire body – from early gathering to late dismissal, one  Body in  motion.Admittedly,there’s  only a micro space in between activities that a person has  really has “make” time if ever he wants to pursue other things, say,extra sleep, personal  devotion or  family walk,otherwise, he would impinge on Retreat Program which unfortunately  many ,over the years , has done! A sad footnote!

Over the years, expense, numbers and make up of campers (with participating churches now),influenced the choice of places and preferred dating. Expense narrowed us to places that we can afford and yet has the maximum facilities we need.We look for  place that can give us  maximum benefits both body and soul as well. This is hard. All places has its plusses  and minuses. But we have to content with the presence of dislikes. In my heart I asked, what is a good rule to follow here? I am lost in my own search, but I found consolation on Abe Lincoln’s philosophy on this kind of choice, “The true rule, in determining to embrace, or reject anything, is not whether it have evil on it, but whether it have more of evil, than of good. There are few things wholly evil, or wholly good…our best judgment of the preponderance between them is continually demanded”.We really have to weight which one best cater to our increasing needs.

Ah, my profession is at sea.I was a Nautical Science holder.  Sea and seaside has a special lot in my inner person. I don’t know about you, but the grandest serenity I’ve seen was out there in the open sea. When for days and days sailing you have nothing but sea. But at night, when the moon is on its fullest and the sea was calm and the stars were lighting dark corners of sky,and the ship is  knifing through the stillness of the sea, there’s nothing so  beautiful than that! I am always moved by that,on the bridge of the ship during my watch, I feel so all alone, so lost in the beauty of God’s wonderful creation.What a tranquility!The magnet and the magic of those moments were forever itched in my heart . That’s why Sandy C. rate highest in my retreat preference, but thank God ,my preference doesn’t have to be THE factor. Many doesn’t share my attraction for scenery like that! 

Over the years of having Church Family Retreat now, I’m yet to go home  frustrated and dejected because of external factors. Tired? Yes! Spent? Yes!  Exhausted? Yes!Physically, and mentally I was spent! Leadership is consuming! But hey, what keeps me up and alert is the thought that our people more than my own need  for spiritual feeding has been placed in the situation where they can receive so much from the Lord, that their hearts and mind can be filled with the knowledge and love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and like in the front seat,  taking advantage of the opportunity given them, closer to Christ…in the nearness and shadow of His Majesty.That excite my spirit, no price for that…seeing your people,together, gathered around their BLESSED SAVIOR,JESUS CHRIST,SAVORING HIS  GRACIUS PRESENCE.  Yes, that to me is one significant isolation to  one magnificent inspiration. Glory and honor be to our God .Alleluia.

See all of you next year…Family Retreat 2010.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 21st, 2009 at 7:13 pm and is filed under Pastor's Corner. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.