A blog post by Mark Batterson reminded me of this verse from Habakkuk 2:1, “I will climb up to my watchtower and stand at my guardpost. There I will wait to see what the Lord says.”

Where is your watchtower?  I’ve had a few: a cemetery across the road from the first church I pastored, a lookout tower that sat beside a lake, Mt. Nittany — only for those once a year special watchtower moments :),  a few well placed benches at Harvest Fields.  For many years, Lynn and I would pray and listen together late on Saturday night in the worship room at 1250 University Drive.  Where do you go to wait and see what the Lord says?

Do you have a place?  It doesn’t have to be far away.  But it should be a no-distraction zone, someplace where you are more likely to get good God reception.  Right now, perhaps my best watchtower has simply been the deck off my office.  It gives me an incredible view into the city and another view down the valley.  Looking in both directions, God renews my heart for the people in our region.  Looking and listening God gives me fresh perspective on the God-sized dreams He is dreaming for His Kingdom in these interconnected valleys.  For example, a few weeks ago in our UNchristian series I was talking about being too political…it was watchtower-time that turned a sermon on politics into a vision about the Kingdom of God.  (

Where do you go to get perspective? What places help you dream bigger dreams? Where do you go to hear the voice of God more clearly?

Susanna Wesley (mother of John & Charles Wesley) had 19 children in the 1600’s, no fancy watchtowers were available so she would sit in the corner of her kitchen, and pull her apron up over her head.  That was her watchtower-listen-to-God time, and the children knew you did not bother mother when she was in the corner with her apron over her head!

Let me encourage you, if you don’t have a place, choose one.  Spend some time there at least once a week, for at least an hour for the next few months…maybe God has something to say to you, and He’s just waiting for you to start waiting.