Loosen the Bondage ...

This weekend (Thursday-Saturday), I went on a Spiritual Formation Retreat with my Divinity School to Camp Agape in Fuquay-Varina, NC.

I was excited about the trip because I had a number of great friends who were going, but I also had my reservations. I had been sick all week, we are at the beginning of the NCAA Tournament and knew I would be missing part of the Carolina game on Friday night, and I knew how much work was awaiting me when I left the retreat. So much on my mind, with very little room to allow God to speak.

Upon arrival, I unloaded my belongings, went to dinner, and found myself starting the process of going through the motions. We're all good at that at times. It was during our first small-group discussion after Thursday evening's session, however, that I began to see that God was not going to let me get by with just going through the motions all weekend. I needed to be present and let down walls. When I was able to finally do that and become truly invested in those around me, I was able to witness God's love in a new way and through so many different faces.

Our Retreat House

We had moments where we retreated from the group and dwelled alone with God. We had moments where we met in pairs and discussed how we know God loves us. We had moments when we were in groups and we shared our faith stories and the glimpses of God seen over the course of the weekend. We had moments spent in communal worship -- listening to scripture, praying, and singing. But despite what the moment looked like, God was present in every one.

In keeping with the confidence and sacred sharing space of the group, I still have to share one table discussion (with the approval of the table's members). In our last small-group meeting, our table discussed how special it is and what it means to be a part of the community at Campbell Divinity School. This is a community that welcomes and invites God's presence. Knowing you can approach a professor about your struggles and he/she will take the time to listen and pray with you, having each class begin with prayer, and being led by faculty and staff who can walk in a room and you can sense the presence of God -- these are extraordinary moments when we are all reminded of the beauty of being a part of such a strong community of faith.

And that's what this weekend reminded me. I was reminded this weekend through the topic of "Resurrection Life" and the scripture from John 11:1-45 that we are called to resurrected life and yearn for it, but we often still carry the stink of death and are tangled up in our bondage. The power of this passage, though, is that it reminds us to recognize the importance of community. Jesus calls others to unbind Lazarus after he resurrects him. We are likewise called to help loosen the burial clothes of others, just a little, and live out this resurrected life. Thankful for having this community at Campbell Divinity that helps loosen the bondage as we "help each other walk the mile and bear the load."