Tag: #retreat

It was the evening of Friday 24^th June 2022. My wife and I sat with a friend on a couple of concrete benches taking in the twilight sky. We were perched on the hillside of Mount St. Benedict, with the plains of Central Trinidad spread out below us to the South and the sun setting over Port of Spain to the West. The sky was littered with cloud-frescoes that changed constantly as the wind manipulated them like paint on the sky-dome of the Sistine Chapel. Not to be outdone, the setting sun added his own dramatic effects by casting various light filters on the entire scene – yellow tint, rainbows, orange tint, darkness.

Our hearts were expectant for what God would do over the weekend. This moment marked the beginning of an ecumenical weekend retreat where nine of us would gather to seek God for personal and national revival. The significance of what we would see in the sky that evening would only be revealed in days to come.

In the clouds appeared an angel holding a scroll. It was only after it began to dissipate that I thought to take a picture but hopefully, you can still see the figure of an angel riding on a cloud, bent over a scroll with majestic wings stretched out behind.

As the scenery morphed, rainbows began to appear. At first, it was just one short colourful burst straddling two clouds in the sky, but then another appeared way in the distance touching down somewhere in the East. Sadly, I did not take any pictures of the rainbows as I completely missed their significance at first.

Lastly, a huge crown appeared dominating the twilight sky.

I pondered in my heart what these signs in the sky could mean but I did not give it too much thought as the remaining attendees arrived and we went inside to sort out accommodations and prepare for the start of our retreat.

What God did in the midst of us over those few days can only be described as sacred. As I prepare to describe what happened this weekend, I feel like I should take off my shoes as men of God did in olden days when they discerned God was near. This is holy ground.

We shared the stories of our lives with each other and gave thanks for what God had done. In each of us was a monument built in flesh and blood to God’s grace and goodness in the midst of pain, suffering, and brokenness. But God!

We shared our deepest desires for our lives to become better, for our families to be restored in love and peace, for our children to serve God and become all that they were meant to be, for us to become all that God has called us to be, for more love, joy and peace deep inside of us, for more of God.

Then we listened. We had poured out our hearts. What would be God’s response? We let the stillness and silence envelop us as we individually tuned our ears to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit.

Then we came back together to share what we had heard and to hear God on each other’s behalf. It was like a firehose of grace was unleashed in our midst, pouring down from heaven, drenching us, washing us, cleansing us, filling us, and renewing us! Hurts were healed through tears as the saints gathered around in comfort. We painted God’s dreams for each other in vivid scenes that restored hope, renewed faith and assured us that we were not forgotten orphans but precious daughters and sons; seen, known and loved. We listened as God shared His desires. We gently invited us to restore broken relationships, forgive past hurts and believe what He had done and was doing in our lives. He ushered us into greater forgiveness, faith and freedom. By the time we were through, the love of God for us and our love for each other was palpable in the air, and we had lost track of time.

Sunday evening came and we prepared to leave. There was great joy. Not jumping up and down joy, but the deeper, quieter kind. The final words of God, “This was not the end but the beginning.” Then came a surprise. A desperate soul appeared on our doorstep seeking prayer. We surrounded him and shared with him of the meal we had just received. More tears. More love. More breakthrough. Just like God to do something unexpected.

As we came off the mountaintop, (having reminded each other not to let the invasion of noise and busyness of the valley loosen our grasp on what we had heard on the mountaintop) I determined to revisit and process all that God had said over the weekend. For a few days the rhythms of prayer, shared meals, laughter, tears and listening to God’s voice in community had dominated. Oh, what bliss. But now as I process the entire weekend with Holy Spirit, God is still speaking and I wonder, “As much as God spoke in our hearts and minds, and through the voices of our brothers and sisters, did He also speak to us through the clouds?”

I believe He did. Let me share with you the interpretations of the signs that I believe the Holy Spirit has given to me:

• The angel with the scroll – a prophetic decree has been issued from Heaven for Trinidad & Tobago.
• The rainbows – a promise of God’s covenant with us reassuring us of hope and new beginnings – restoration.
• The crown – the Kingdom is coming – the sovereign will of the King of kings is being established over Trinidad & Tobago.

This is the decree that I believe has been released from Heaven for our beloved country:

“There will be a shaking. Leaders will fall and leaders after My heart will be raised up. The false and the true will be exposed. Then I will pour out My Spirit.”

Legions of angels have already been released all across the country to execute this decree. I invite all who would read this to pray with me:

Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done in Trinidad & Tobago, as it is in heaven.

Give us today the food we need.

And forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.