A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place. By extension, a sanctuary is a safe haven…a hide- away…a place of safe retreat.
For me, unless I am in such a place, it’s difficult to listen to that inner voice that speaks to me. Such a place could be in the privacy of my home office…or in my truck as I’m parked near a field of bluebonnets…or in the shower as the steaming hot water cascades over my shoulders…or in a bamboo hut in the rain forest of Costa Rica…or in a little, secluded mountain cabin.
It was in that little New Mexico cabin in late 2012 that I was in the 3rd month of grieving the loss of my wife of 40+ years. But it was also there that I was seeing the world through fresh eyes. That inner voice (don’t you hear that voice sometimes, too?) was calling me, guiding me, giving me clarity because I was taking the time to listen.
I would not have heard the calling during those few days if I had been at work or in a noisy restaurant or at a grandchild’s game or with the TV blaring the latest news or sports or whatever. I know that I needed to be hidden away…in a safe haven…in a sanctuary. So, step one in really listening…find yourself a sanctuary. It may be as close as your closet or backyard.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. – Mark 1:35
