“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”
John 15:4
Truly, these are some of the most powerful words Jesus speaks to His disciples. Remain in me. Remain. Abide. Stay awhile. It is the antithesis of this world’s priorities and values. Be still. Do not do. Be unproductive. Unthinkable! Impossible!
And yet, Jesus not only taught it, He lived it. He who spoke the world into existence, who holds that same world in His hands, even the vast universe, prioritizes sanctuary. In the face of clamoring crowds and the most significant three years of work the world has ever seen, Jesus took the time to simply be in
the presence of the Father.
Jesus was what David Wells refers to as a desert saint. By desert saint, Wells indicates that we live in an environment often hostile to spiritual health, as a desert might be hostile to physical health. And yet, in the midst of this hostile environment, we are able to find refreshment by seeking sanctuary in time with God. In the words of David Farrar:
What does it mean, then—in a balanced, healthy way—to be a desert saint? The life of a desert saint is characterized by regular, purposeful withdrawal from the world (a Sabbath) to a desert place (a sanctuary). Why does he retreat to a sanctuary? He does it to derive his direction and sustenance from God. (Overcoming Overload, P. 69).
Is this not the perfect description of what we see in the life of Christ? Over and over again, in the Gospel of Luke, we see Jesus setting aside time for sanctuary. Why does Luke record this reality time and time again? To provide a model for you and I.
Why then do I find it so difficult to follow my Lord’s model? Is my time more valuable than His, more important? I act like it. But when I submit it to just a moment’s reflection, it is utter foolishness. What day is so busy that I have no time for my Maker? What activity is so important that I should sacrifice sanctuary with my God? The answers to those questions are obvious. So, why do we so easily marginalize this needed sanctuary?
Part of the answer certainly lies in the strong forces militating against sanctuary. As great martyr for the faith, Jim Elliot, once said, “I think the devil has made it his business to monopolize on three elements. Noise, hurry and crowds. Satan is quite aware of the power of silence.” If the world was noisy in Jim Elliot’s day, the 50’s, how much more so in a day of unlimited entertainment, communication and information streaming from tv’s, computers, smartphones, radios and tablets. With what result? We are a people desperate for sanctuary. As Farrar writes, “In the fast, never-ending 24/7 pace of life, people are missing something—and what they are missing is a sanctuary—a place of silence, solitude and stillness” (P. 88)
He goes on to define each of these places. “Solitude is a cessation of human interaction. Silence is a cessation of noise.… Stillness is the cessation of activity. It is the cessation of all tasks, except the one single task of meeting with God” (P. 78 & 82). We need sanctuary. We need cessation of human interaction, noise, and activity. And we need it each and every day.
In my family, an on-going dilemma we face is keeping our phones charged. It seems as though phones are constantly dying. And for parents who are desirous to keep track of active young adults, it can be extremely frustrating. As a result, phone re-charging is something that is required daily. In fact, a few of our phones are in need of recharging multiple times throughout the day!
Believers, our spiritual lives are not sustainable with weekly charging, or with charging every few days. We need a significant charge from set-apart time with God every day. We need to discipline ourselves to experience daily sanctuary.
What does that look like for you? Well, my guess is…different from what it looks like for me. For we are all face unique challenges to experiencing sanctuary. For some, finding a place for sanctuary is the challenge. For others, it is the set-apart time which is hard to come by. And for others still, it may simply be the discipline of learning to spend time alone with God, removing all distractions. But whatever it means for you, if you would experience a life fruitful in heaven’s eyes, then you must learn, as Jesus taught, to remain in Him. And such remaining, such abiding, begins with daily sanctuary. So, how will you make sanctuary happen in your life this week? Today?
In Him, Pastor Dan