‘One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple’ (Ps 27: 4)

Whatever part of the world we live in the current pandemic has presented many challenging times. Some of these have been in the lockdowns most of our world has experienced at some point in the past year. Here in Melbourne, Australia we have had 3!! As brutally difficult as it was for many, we also saw some great gifts out of these times. One of these gifts I believe was a sense of space and a ‘slowing down of the world’. For me anyway, I found there was not only a bit more space but also an increased desperation to meet with God and to be relying on Him for my everything. It actually drew me closer to God in my personal life in a new way and because we weren’t busying ourselves with so many of the usual routines that life required there was more space to connect with God and dwell in His word. There was a certain ‘centering’ that seemed to happen (even despite alot of the other craziness the season inflicted). What I have noticed as things have lifted a bit here in Aus, maybe where you are also is that as life has ‘opened’ up again (as wonderful as that is), the sense of busyness and rush is also creeping back into the pace of life and I for one am not completely loving it. I tire much more easily and I feel like I am chasing my tail a little bit. 

Just last week, we had some extra covid cases pop up in our city and so the government put us back into a ‘snap lockdown’ for 5 days. This was quite abrupt and very painful for many, but at the same time, I also heard a bit of relief expressed by some. Some that were happy to have a few days to ‘regroup’ and to have the excuse to have a slower pace of life for a few days. 

It really got me thinking, for us as worshippers, God wants us to be people that carve out space to just dwell with Him. As we see in Psalm 27 – ‘One Thing I ask is that I may dwell in the house of the Lord and to gaze on His beauty’. There doesn’t seem to be any other agenda here for the psalmist expect to just be with God, to hang out with Him, and adore Him and to pour love out on Him. To be seeking Him in everything, not just seeking answers to a list of prayer requests, but seeking Him, seeking HIS heart. I sense that this is God’s call to us as we start to ‘busy’ ourselves up again. Author John Mark Comer has uses this phrase with his book – ‘The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry’. These words resounding from a mentor   ‘ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life’. How do we somehow continue to live out of that centred place where are carving out time and space to just dwell with our Father?

 Worship leaders, I feel also like the call is especially crucial for US right now. For those in church ministry especially! So much of the job by default becomes about facilitating services details, rostering and chasing up people to fill holes, entering song words, fixing sound equipment and let’s face it now – video recording and editing or being livestream experts. All of those are essential things and all serve the worship experiences we are trying to facilitate.. but what about ministering solely to the heart of God first and foremost? What about drawing aside to the secret place to be with your heavenly Father, and allowing Him to bring you rest, refreshment and inspiration and allowing Him to speak and to guide you as you lead your ministry. This is God’s call to us – be dwellers and seekers of His presence above all else. 

Two practical ideas to help this to happen: 

1. Carve out intentional space: Somehow in your week prioritise some time just to be with God and dwell in His presence. If you are on church staff write it into your job description if you have to. Have the conversation with your leadership – this is key to what they are employing/asking you to do, to be a spiritual leader in your community

2. Create a buffer: Don’t just pack back to back meetings into your day. Create space in between meetings and jobs. Slow the pace down and intentionally use those time to centre yourself and touch base with God. Invite Him into the workings of your day.