Retreat 2012 Day 1

For a number of years, often every second year, the way I have finished the program year has been to have a retreat week in the Kejimkujik National Park in Nova Scotia. I act as a “mid-wife” to Blandings Turtles (Blandings Turtle population restoration is a major long term project in the park). This gives me time to reflect and see to plan for the next. Nothing like watching a turtle make up her mind whether to lay eggs, to give one time to reflect.

This year I am using Acts 16:9-10a as my reflection point:

During the night, Paul had a vision of someone from Macedonia who was standing there and begging him, “Come over to Macedonia and help us!” After Paul had seen the vision, we began looking for a way to go to Macedonia. (CEV)

Monday night sitting on Heber 3 waiting for a turtle to decide to lay or not (she didn't - three test holes no labour) gave me time to think about who the Macedonians are in today's world. Who is it that is expecting us to “come over”? That thought took me to the a disturbing question - “do we care?”

Has Christianity become so selfish that we do not hear “Macedonians” anymore? The last year in Hampton suggests that may be we are blind to Macedonian calls, but perhaps need to be more intentional. So much of Christianity today has become about personal salvation, self fulfilment, keeping our local congregation open, that we have lost the essence of what Paul experienced - a change of direction and focus.