Removing the Man-Made

Just before my very first summer preaching full time, back between my Sophomore and Junior years at North Central University, my best friend Luke and I had our own extended times of fasting, prayer, solitude and God's Word in spiritual preparation to travel and preach.

I attempted the solitude and fasting part, but only made it about a whole 7 hours ... but enough about me.  

Luke spent several days in solitude and a fast of just crackers and water at a cabin in the woods.  Luke is a bit of an introvert and prefers more time alone each day than with people, but he expressed how difficult solitude was, and how it could even make introverts feel a bit crazy.  

He quickly, after several hours the first day, ran out of things to pray and realized he needed some sort of schedule.  He would take allotted times to pray, read his Bible, clean and organize his cabin, and go on walks. 

He felt this extended retreat truly revealed where he was at with his relationship with God.  Also during his time, just about the last day, God gave him a massive revelation that was worth the whole getaway.  As he was on his daily walk, the Holy Spirit quickened his heart saying "Luke, when we strip away everything that is man-made ... for instance, humans created the clock, we busy our schedules and run around hurriedly without enough time each day ... and we have created education and degrees, giving people a silly looking cap and gown and a piece of paper that says you have done something with your life ... But when you strip away all that man-made stuff away ... all that's left ... is all of creation ... waiting for the second coming of Jesus Christ."