Away

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”
Matthew, the apostle

My wife and I stumbled upon a simple evening practice that is changing our lives.  After a particularly long day for both of us, I asked if she wanted to go for a drive before dinner.  The top happened to be off my Jeep and it was about 30 minutes before sunset.  We coined a couple of phrases (“sunset Jeep cruise” and “chasing the sunset”) that night and we’ve never looked back.  It is now 2-3 times a week that one of us prompts an evening cruise.  She’ll say something like…

“Sunset is at 6:37, we need to get moving or we’ll miss it.”

We are usually trying to get some elevation, move in a westward direction, and get off the main roads if at all possible.  

Sometimes we talk and decompress our respective days.
Sometimes we talk about the kids.
Sometimes we listen to music.
Sometimes we don’t say or listen to anything at all.

We arrive home more clear and ready to embrace the evening in a more calm and more reflective way.  I am more grounded in my identity and my Father’s great love for me.  My wife and I are more connected and operating from the same page.  It has been a huge win for us and regular part of our weekly rhythm.

As a result, I am a better father and husband.  I have a lot more clarity and energy for the leaders I serve in our coaching practice. 

We are supposed to “cease striving” and not “be conformed to this world”.  We are asked to take on His “easy burden and light yoke” and forsake our own.  We are told to “be still and quiet and know that he is God.”  So why does life feel so chaotic and overwhelming?

It is not that the offer of life, and life abundant, isn’t still available.

It is just that we are choosing another life.  The wrong life.  Whether it is a long walk, a bike ride, a sunset Jeep tour or just getting somewhere still and quiet, accept the offer of life:

“Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.”

Despite how it often feels, the kind of life we live is a choice.

• How do you start your day?  End it?
• How are you experiencing the unforced rhythms of His grace?
• How badly do you need to “get away with Him and recover your life”?
• What would taking one small step in this direction look like for you?