Following and Trusting : Encountering God Out of the Box

As you know, I’m on sabbatical and I awhile ago finished enjoying Marva Dawn’s book, “Keeping the Sabbath Wholly.” This past weekend, I went away on a retreat. The first song we sang was…

Come Away From Rush and Hurry
Marva J. Dawn
(To the tune of “Come Thou Fount”)

Come away from rush and hurry
to the stillness of God’s peace;
from our vain ambition’s worry,
come to Christ and find release.
Come away from noise and clamor,
life’s demands and frenzied pace;
come to join the people gathered
here to seek and find God’s face.

In the pastures of God’s goodness
we lie down to rest our soul.
From the waters of his mercy
we drink deeply, are made whole.
At the table of his presence
all his saints are richly fed.
With the oil of his anointing
into service we are led.

Come, then, children, with your burdens –
life’s confusions, fears, and pain.
Leave them at the cross of Jesus;
take instead his kingdom’s reign.
Bring your thirsts, for he will quench them –
he alone will satisfy.
All our longings find attainment
when to self we gladly die.