Even God knows you need a vacation...

“Life is what happens to us while we are making other plans.”   Allen Saunders

  Timelines have never been one of my gifts. I’ve continually had difficulty estimating how long a project will actually take and am too optimistic. Jane, on the other hand, is much more realistic. It makes me very thankful to be married to someone so smart. So a normal conversation for us is for me to ask her input on a realistic appraisal on how long a project will take.

  Sometimes my ineptness at time estimation costs me, as it did recently. There’s a project related to our new building that I thought I could focus on and complete on my first day of vacation. Boy, was I ever wrong! It took bits and pieces of our whole week…and we’re still working on it. But we can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

  Vacations are very important. For the past few years, there’s been a lot of criticism of both President Obama and Trump on the amount of vacation time they take. Personally, I have a hard time believing that the President is really ever on vacation. I just can’t see, “Well, I know a hurricane just took out Florida BUT don’t bother me now…I’m on vacation.”

  In a few weeks the summer vacation season officially starts. So is there a biblical worldview when it comes to vacations? While Scripture never specifically says anything about vacations, the Bible has a lot to say about rest and a stewardship of life. Both concepts are applicable when it comes to the matter of a believer taking a vacation. Sadly, while Christians value work (as we should), too few value rest. Have you ever shared with a friend that you were “so busy” and they responded, “Not me. I’ve had so much time off, I’m not sure what I’m going to do with myself.” It’s a conversation that’s not going to happen in American culture.

  On top of that, what many of us call a “vacation” has little to do with rest. We’re so time and activity oriented, we have difficulty adjusting to true down time. But if it’s a vacation why do you really need to know the time? Maybe to catch a plane, but if your vacation is as brimming full (sometimes even more) as your typical work week, what’s really the point?  

  In the very beginning our Creator God set the example of rest after the biggest project of all time. “On the seventh day God finished His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done” (Genesis 2:2). Part of the very identity of the Jews as God’s chosen people was that they were commanded to take an entire day of rest from all work. And while as New Covenant Christians, we are no longer under the Old Testament Law, that doesn’t mean that rest isn’t part of God’s plan and essential for us. Jesus said the Sabbath was made for us, meaning that God gave it as a gift to us (Mark 2:27). God knows that we need rest. In resting and ceasing from work, we demonstrate faith and dependence on God for His provision.

  In a culture that values busy and accomplishment, taking a break to recharge your batteries, bond with your spouse and family, to see God’s wonderful world are vital, yet too often taken-for-granted blessings. Vance Havner said, “We need to come apart and rest awhile, and if we don't come apart, we will come apart, we'll go to pieces! It is true that the devil never takes a vacation, but we are not to follow the devil but the Lord.”

  The Lord Jesus told His disciples after an exhausting day of ministry and meeting people’s needs, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” We need to turn off our phone and all other electronics, pack up and get away trusting God that things won’t fall apart in our absence. It’s biblical wisdom to take that step of faith in God and rest.  

  Vacation improves us. The vacation tradition was started by companies in the early 20^th century as a productivity strategy. Employers found that their employees returned re-charged and much more productive as a result of taking a break. Recent studies show American workers are much more productive after returning from a vacation. Increased hours of sleep and decreased levels of stress resulted in more productivity.

  Are you and your spouse constantly bickering? Is family life a war zone? Maybe you don’t need a marriage or family counselor, you all just need some real rest. Take an electronics fast. Believe me, if it’s truly an emergency, they’ll always find you. Take a walk on the beach or in the forest, listening to God’s matchless symphony. Breathe deep, relaxing in the glory of His creation. Have long conversations with your spouse and children. Make s-mores and stare up at a star-filled sky. Play table games. Read a book until you doze, just make sure it’s not work related.  Count your many blessings! For most of us, it will take a few days to decompress.

  Vacation spurs our creativity and gratitude. My favorite vacations are the ones where I can enjoy the outdoors and marvel at God’s creation. For me, the artificialness of a theme park is like a TV dinner. I want true beauty by the Master. Seeing God’s creativity spurs our creativity. In most jobs or hobbies, if you can add a creative element you’ll be more productive and fulfilled with what you’ve created. That’s also true of worship. You are God’s masterpiece…a one of a kind. There is a deep fulfillment in living out your purpose through the talents and abilities God has given you. 

  Please take some time and enjoy it. Enjoy it with your Heavenly Father. We were created to love and enjoy Him forever. A vacation is a wonderful reminder of that. So go ahead and schedule it. If you need to, tell your boss that it’s a church thing and your Pastor made you do it.  

Can we help you spiritually? Can we help you know Jesus better? Please check out more resources on our church's web page, Gracechurchwi.org. Or, call us at 262.763.3021. If you'd like to know more about how Jesus can change your life, I'd love to mail you a copy of how Jesus changed my life in "My Story." E-mail me at Carson@gracechurchwi.org to request a free copy. Please include your mailing address.