A Great Weekend in Georgia!

– February 3, 2008Posted in:

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Hey friends! How was your weekend?

I just got home from leading worship at a BRILLIANT women’s retreat hosted by Johnson Ferry Baptist Church, near Atlanta. What a special time we had! This photo is me with Marsha, Dee and Anne – some of the wonderful women I had the privilege of ministering alongside!

During the conference one verse jumped out and hit me between the eyes. I’d heard it many times before but it hit me with a new depth this weekend. It’s from Matthew 7:

"Not everyone who says to me: ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom
of heaven…Many will say to me on
that day, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, drive out demons and perform miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me.’ "

Christianity at it’s essence is about one thing – knowing God. Not working for him, not doing good deeds, but walking into an ever deepening intimate relationship with Him. The teaching at the conference was all a WONDERFUL reminder of this – calling us back to that place of intimacy and love!

It’s easy for us to get so busy as Christians, and for us to complicate what is a very simple thing…to spend our time serving, but never truly knowing, Jesus. I want to make sure I am keeping "the main thing the main thing"…Knowing Him above all else!

Do you struggle with too much "doing" and not enough "being"? How do we resist becoming Martha’s and keep our "Mary heart" in a fast paced world of meetings, long To Do Lists and 3 minute microwave dinners?? I for one, when I stand face to face with Jesus, want Him to be able to say "Vicky – I KNOW you and you KNOW me! "….

Thoughts?
vb

Related Posts - these might also be of interest:

http://rawkalways.blogspot.com Linz

I have an expectation that this coming season of lent is going to do great things in my relationship with God. I feel like I’ve been missing out on some stuff because of my busy schedule.
http://www.myspace.com/nathanarnoldmusic Nathan

Vicky! Quit reading my mind. It’s really creepy.

You are right on, and I’ve been so frustrated that this busy life has been fighting against my desire to just be in Christ. The fact that the church is what inhibits me the most makes it SO much worse. In the 16 months I’ve been on staff at my church I’ve only had 4 days of vacation, and that was spent in the studio. So to say keeping God in his deserved place has been difficult is an understatement.

What you’re talking about is what I’m chasing this week. I’m leading worship for a pastors retreat this week and am so looking forward to a hotel room at the beach alone with my guitar, Bible and God.

Some of the clearest words God ever spoke to me were just what you’re talking about. I was begging for direction a few years back and what I was told was, “be in me”. Great place to live.

Thanks for the reminder VB!
http://www.jonathanpaulmusic.com Jonathan

Thanks for the reminder, Vicky!

Yes, I certainly struggle with too much doing and too little being.

One thing I want to do more of in the coming weeks is to just spend time in God’s presence. Not studying, but just being there with Him.

Some of my friends spend time “soaking” in God’s presence, and we did a bit of that at a prayer meeting back in Michigan about a week ago. It’s great! It pretty much amounts to putting on some peaceful music and just resting and being quiet in God’s presence. Waiting for Him to speak or just enjoying being together. :o)
http://kellymonahan.blogspot.com Kelly Monahan

My favorite blog post so far! so true and yet somehow so lost in the midst of our culture! its all about the time spent behind the scenes with Jesus that determines how much we know HIM- praying, studying, meditating. How I needed to hear that again today! Thanks Vicky! :)
Carolina Marrelli

Oh my goodness, I am SO GLAD that you posted something about this very subject.

That “doing doing doing” mentality, I believe, is rooted in a Religious Spirit…..Jesus is just so about FREEDOM, and how hard is it, to just get the fact that we don’t have to do anything! He would love us just as passionatly if we sat in a chair for the rest of our lives, and did nothing but love Him from sitting in that chair.

Religion tells us we have to “do” so many things, while Jesus tells us to just sit at His feet….Ahhhh, how refreshing is our Lord????!!!!
http://kendralese.wordpress.com kendra

wow…amen to that! i feel like everything people are saying right now is on that very topic-knowing God, having true intimacy with Him, and allowing everything else to come out of that. Have you ever read John Bevere’s Driven By Eternity or Rescued? They are about this….
Kyle

Hey Vick,
Great reminder, sometimes I worry that I’m never doing enough, because it seems so much needs to be done. I went home from school this weekend and about half way there my engine quit. So I had to wait for my dad to come pick me up (and it’s a good 20 degrees here!) I couldn’t read because of the annoying four ways sound, but I did flip on my ipod and sat and praised God, just enjoying Him. Not worried about anything else, because I couldn’t do anything else, just sitting and resting in his everlasting arms (that song came on a time or two :D ). Thanks for the insight!
http://boazeugene.blogspot.com lori

“Vicky – I KNOW you and you KNOW me! “….

Very thought provoking!
http://www.vickybeeching.com Vicky Beeching

Thanks for sharing, guys!

I’m so glad I’m not the only one feeling this call to return to BEING with Jesus, above all else!

Anyone got any practical suggestions for being still in the midst of busy days and weeks? I’m trying to actually sit and be totally silent for 5 minutes each day just listening to God…and I want to increase it to 10 and more… but starting small seems more realistic : )
Suzanne

Hey Vicky,

I’ve just finished ready Joyce Huggett’s ‘Listening to God’ as it’s one thing I really struggle with. It’s a really good read and it advises that you slot out time when you are most comfortable. I tried first thing in the morning but found I was too concerned with being late for work, so now I try before I go to bed.

It’s something I really struggle with though. I’m still new to this whole thing and I don’t know what I am listening for and what I am just telling myself cause I want to hear it.
http://kellymonahan.blogspot.com Kelly Monahan

I think one of the greatest ways to practically apply this principle of just “being with Jesus” rather than being “busy with Jesus” is to establish a place of sanctuary in our life- whether that be a room in the house, a library- but a place whereby all distractions are tuned out – Cell phone off, computer off, radio off. A place and time whereby we are inaccessible to the world for as long as needed to be with Jesus Christ. As long as I am loudly tuned into something else, I am usually going to be tuned out from God.
If you think about it- we are about to enter into the Holy of Holies. Back in the Old Testament times only one man (the high priest), one time a year (Day of Atonement), and only in one place (Temple) could enter into the Holy of Holies. Coming before the very presence of God was extremely sacred and also very rare and taken with the upmost respect and attention. A chain was even tied around the ankle of the priest lest God smite him for his irreverent attitude and he die and need to be pulled out. So unless you were the high priest the Holy of Holies- the very indwelling place of God’s presence was off limits.
Wow- how indifferent I am to this wonderful privilege of coming before the very presence of God, into the Holy of Holies today. It’s so easy to become available to everything else in this world- even ministry, while becoming unavailable to the presence of Jesus.
So I think two of the most practical ways of being with Jesus is
1) Understanding the value and privilege of coming into the Holy of Holies- this is a great thing to study too, makes us totally appreciate the blessing of coming to God at anytime and anyplace today!! Really having the right attitude about what I am about to enter into- the very indwelling presence of Jesus Christ!
2) Establish a place of sanctuary that I am faithful to guard and enter into each day

I know these two practical applications have really helped me to just be with Jesus and His Word! :)
http://www.myspace.com/nathanarnoldmusic Nathan

Practical applications…

I think there are many times during the day we miss the chance for time with God. A few of my favorite places to be alone with God have always been my car and the shower. If you’re like me, you spend plenty of time in both. And I haven’t met a girl yet that wouldn’t get her five minutes of silence in if they used the shower.

I can’t tell you how many times God has shared amazing revelations with me in the shower, and how many times I’ve run out of hot water. :) And I’ve always said my truck is my cathedral where I can just let loose and worship, or drive in silence. I’m sure a large percentage of the population in Portland have wondered what was going on as I’ve been drive. also, when you focus on God it helps eliminate road rage. Of course, I’ve never had that problem. : )
http://whittakerwoman.typepad.com whittakerwoman

It was great to meet you today. I hope we can hang out sometime soon. I told Carlos… “I think I could be her friend!” I know that sounds weird but you were amazing this morning and really just wanted to say thanks. Talk to you soon. I am looking forward to reading here! H
http://www.jonathanpaulmusic.com Jonathan

One thing I’ve done to help ensure I at least get some daily connection to God’s word is to sign up for The Daily Verse (found at http://www.thedailyverse.com/ or on MySpace at http://www.myspace.com/thedailyverse ). I really enjoy the verses that are selected as well as the brief comments that Kat Davis adds after the verses. Sometimes I chuckle at myself because, to some people, it might seem almost like a Christian horoscope… but I don’t think that it’s actually that much alike.

Well, now I’ve gotta head off into another busy day in the middle of a busy week. :o) Hopefully I’ll get a chance to jot another thought or so here soon.

Also, thanks for taking the time to share with us here in the middle of your busy days and weeks, Vicky. It’s been a pleasure getting to know you better. On top of that, your blog is just fun to read and thought-provoking as well.

A Great Weekend in Georgia!

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