This weekend I attended my church singles group's annual retreat. It is always awesome, and this year was no exception. My favorite moment happened in the presence of the view in the picture above.
The picture is an attempt to capture the serene beauty of God's creation from my vantage point Saturday night. As beautiful as the picture is, what you cannot see or experience by looking at the photo is the way the moment touched all the senses. Closing my eyes, I could hear the whooshing of a flock of small birds zooming by overhead and the semi-sweet smell of grass and earth. As I sat and watched the entire scene, it appeared as though nature was in a playful mood. Fish jumping through the surface of the water, insects dancing to and fro, small birds darting in almost choreographed patterns, large egrets gliding inches from the water occasionally dragging a foot across the glassy surface. Meanwhile, the sunset backdrop continued to provide different hues that subtly changed the appearance of both sky and water.
While it appeared that nature was in a playful mood, prior to finding this delightful spot to gaze upon God's beauty, my mood was far less than playful. However, after spending quality time with my Lord via the lakeside sunset, He transformed my mood to more closely match the mood of the scene before me. Do you ever encounter an individual whose mood is in contrast to yours, but is just so contagious that you find yourself matching their mood? This is what God did for me yesterday evening.
The retreat this weekend filled me with good conversation with friends, convicting words of Biblical teaching, and a deepening appreciation for God's beauty. I have found immense value in retreating from the daily grind of life to seek God intentionally in a different and focused way, and I highly recommend it. When is the last time you retreated to spend time with your Father in Heaven?
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