What do you want?

The other night, a few people were blessing me with good wishes for the sabbatical. One sweet person said, "I hope this sabbatical is everything you want it to be."

Well, what do I want it to be? Her kind words made me pause for a minute and come up with a quick list.

Here are three things that I hope for this time:

1. A period of rest from my work, so God can do some work within me (that's pretty close to John Calvin's description of the Sabbath). A good church needs a well-rested and spiritually focused pastor.

2. An opportunity to receive, rather than produce. It will be a time to enjoy the company of others, to listen in quiet silence, to depend on others for the gifts they wish to provide, and to listen to other preachers' sermons.

3. A thorough saturation in the Psalms, that they might shape and reshape my prayer, and bubble up through my life.

Please pray that God grants these desires of my heart. I believe these wishes will deepen my soul, and make me a better pastor and person.