Mark 1:35-39

To have a “true” retreat in the LORD, to be repaired and restored…

Recently, I was reflecting on this word “Retreat” as I’ve been asked to attend several “retreats” since last November such as congregational retreats, the ACS Barker Road Staff Retreat and SPF F Division Leadership Group Retreat. “Corporate Retreats” are usually focused on reviewing what has happened in the past and to plan for the year ahead. Actually, “Retreats”, especially corporate retreats, are hardly a retreat as we listen to speeches which aim to inspire us to do better in the upcoming year. I know that not all the time, we are inspired. Rather, we probably perspire more as we are told “what more you need to perform”.
Retreat in Chinese is called “退修” which many often misread as “退休”,which means Retirement. I will be sharing from the word “ 退修” Retreat with Mark 1:35-39, hoping that everyone here will have a chance to retreat, especially during this Lent season as we reflect on Jesus Christ our LORD’s journey to the cross.
The word “退” is a verb which means “withdraw”. It is an action of retreating or withdrawing from somewhere, like how, when we need a short break from the wards or the office, we “withdraw” to the pantry to prepare a drink, or to the garden for a breather. For me, when I need to withdraw while working in church, I will take a walk around Fort Canning Hill to pray and seek God. This is despite the busy schedule that I have, which I believe all of you would experience as well.
The second word, “修” is also a verb, which means “repair” It has an expression that we need to be “repaired”, “reorganized”, “restored”. Just as our cars need to be maintained every 6 months for it to continue functioning properly.
So with the two verbs “退修” coming together, it means withdrawing from action, to be repaired and restored. From the passage, we can see that early in the morning, Jesus retreated to a solitary place, where he prayed. Why is that so? In the passage before this, Jesus had healed Simon’s mother-in-law, and the whole village was coming to Jesus. In Mark 1:34 it says, “and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.” Jesus became very popular, famous like a K-Pop artiste in today’s terms.
Some of us will enjoy the attention given to us when we are popular and famous, because it signifies the importance of our presence in the congregation or organization. Yet in the process, we could lose ourselves, our true mission and identity if we are busy with the popularity, or with the work that we are doing. And when we lose the attention, we become unsettled and insecure. When Jesus became popular, he chose to “withdraw” to the place of solitude because he knew the danger of being “popular”. Furthermore, Jesus withdrew to pray to realign Himself back to God. Jesus Christ practiced 退修 “retreat” to “realign” and “restore” Himself in the LORD.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, what do you do when you “retreat” from the demands of work etc? Do you read, or swipe through Facebook, Instagram or Youtube shorts or even binge-watch Korean dramas? Recent newspaper articles have been highlighting the dangers of excessive use of phones on mental health, on how easy it is to slip into a depressed mood, especially when we stop using the phone. I am speaking from experience. When I stop swiping, I became very angry and upset with myself that I wasted so much time and yet I didn’t rest at all.
It is only when we align ourselves to God, that we can truly “retreat” – “withdraw ourselves from the world to go into God’s presence.” When Jesus retreated to the solitary place, his disciples came to him saying, “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied “Let us go somewhere else – to the nearby villages – so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” When He aligned Himself to God, He realized that he is not just here to heal people, but to preach the gospel. The work of healing is part of redirecting the world to the Gospel, in hope that people are truly healed, repaired and restored, by God’s grace and mercy.
One of the verses which I reflect on when I retreat says, “Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31). It is those who hope in the LORD who will renew their strength. This verse helps me realign myself to place my hope solely in the LORD because He is the one who governs everything and takes care of everything in this world.
Dear Brothers and Sisters of Kum Yan Methodist Church, I pray that everyone here would have a chance to have a “true” retreat in the LORD, to be repaired and restored, and to renew our strength by placing our hope of life in the LORD.