Retreat Reflections
What a wonderful weekend we shared at our Oasis Women's Retreat! Surrounded by God's beautiful creation at Mt Tambourine, we enjoyed a weekend away from the usual busyness to enjoy gorgeous surrounds, deepen friendships, and spend time digging deeply into God's Word together.
Our theme was 'Stories of Grace': Women in the Genealogy of Jesus. We explored the stories of four of the women in the genealogy of Jesus in Matthew 1. We began by looking at the significance of Jesus' genealogy before unpacking the remarkable stories of Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba.
The stories of these incredible women reminded us that God is at work in the messiness and brokenness of our world. As we carefully looked at their stories through Scripture, we were reminded of God's faithfulness to his promises and how these women's stories form part of the much bigger story of His plan to bring salvation through Jesus.
Along with the teaching, we loved sharing meals (that we didn't cook!), enjoying the local things to do at Mt Tambourine, and making space for conversations that might not happen in the usual rhythms of life. Ladies shared devotions before meals throughout the weekend, and on Sunday morning we had a special time of sharing together. It was a joy to hear how God is at work in one another's lives, and to be encouraged by the faith, honesty and experiences we share.
One particular moment was when Raelene (who is an avid writer), shared a poem she had written. It is based on the account of the bleeding woman in Luke 8:40-48. This woman had endured twelve years of bleeding, suffering, and exclusion before reaching out in faith to touch the fringe of Jesus' robe. Raelene's poem, Fringe Benefits, reflects powerfully on the woman's suffering, her desperate hope, and the healing and life she found in Jesus!
I am so grateful for the weekend. Thankful to everyone who came. Thankful to everyone who shared. Thankful for everyone who helped. Thankful to God for giving us His word to discover more of who He is and how He loves us.
Let me finish by sharing Raelene's beautiful poem. I am confident it will bless you as it did us over the weekend.
Emma
Fringe Benefits
By Raelene Purtill
Based on Luke 8:40–43
When the ruddy fluid which animates our corporeal beings remains,
it is life,
warm, pulsing, generous life.
But to leave, to leave the body, is death.
To exit a wound and spread out cold,
to cry for revenge through the years
from where it left the first murdered corpse,
to that which flows regularly until we are old,
when blood leaves the body, it is to death.
Why are we the ones who bleed?
Is it because we are the ones who sacrifice?
Because we are the ones who give up our bodies
When we offer them to others' needs?
There is power in our bodies.
Potentially our frames bear life,
but life that comes from our body, brings death too,
and my body was assigned to death.
Life and death played out their existential rage
within and without of me.
The blood cycled back and returned
like a wave with a will of its own.
What should have meant life,
instead, meant death to me.
The doctors did not know.
They did not want to know.
But they knew the fear of ancient rule.
Their dread and past observance,
prevented them and prohibited me.
So, they were quick, so quick,
to call me impure.
Oh, they took my money,
they took everything I had
and then they took everything I was
and declared me unclean.
Not unwell, not in need,
but unclean.
Set apart.
Everything was gone.
All.
Except the blood,
for twelve years.
Then came the day the teacher arrived
'The Teacher's in town,' the cry went about.
Could I remain unseen if I went out?
That was the day I contrived a plan
to touch the hem of His robe.
To steal my cure, was all I had left.
Concealed in the crowd,
No one would know of my theft.
That was the day that I had decided.
That was the day that my need collided
with Him.
So, there I was trembling at the tassels,
reaching for the rim of His robe.
Unhinged at the fringe
hanging at the horizon of my hand.
I touched that knotted cord,
tagged the tassel,
rubbed up against the robe, and
felt the fringe.
My need forged its way through my fingers,
and connected, like the arcs of a circle.
My blood for His coming sacrifice.
His bleeding for my healing.
'Who touched Me?' He asked.
The disciples laughed,
'It could have been anyone.'
He said, 'I felt My power.'
And I wanted to cry out
'So did I. So did I.'
But I continued to cower.
'Who touched Me?' He asked.
And the crowd parted,
like the Red Sea
and there was the Teacher
looking at me!
Twelve bloody years evaporated.
The death in my body was replaced by life,
warm, pulsing, generous new life.
The blood in my body
returned to its place.
In the moment I came to Him
face to face.
So that is my testimony,
the story I tell.
The word from my Lord,
'Go in peace, your faith has made you well.'
