Why is this blog called ‘Come Away’?

Because the most useful times I’ve had in my spiritual life in recent years have been those moments when I have stopped listening to everything that the outside world had to say, and started a conversation with God, and stopped to listen.

The best of these so far was a silent retreat held at the East Molesey House of Prayer (a weekend-long retreat publicized as The Little Silence, with reference to the televised Big Silence week-long retreat.) During this weekend I read Song of Songs 4:6
‘Until the day breaks
and the shadows flee,
I will go to the mountain of myrrh
and to the hill of incense.’

It was a good multi-sensory image to hold as I meditated on God’s call to adventure.

Jesus says to his disciples after a busy time of ministry to the crowds, ‘Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while.’ Many people were coming and going. They could not even eat’. Mark 6:31

It’s not long now till retreat season for me. Two weeks of Christian festivals, then a three-week break, and another four days under canvas with nothing to do but sleep, wake, head to the big tent and worship God under a blue sky.

And if it rains, worship God as water falls around us.