Vacations

They remembered that God was their Rock, that God Most High was their Redeemer.
Psalm 78:35

Well, it’s time. Once a year, for the past three or four, I have met my four sons as we take in a baseball game in a stadium I have never been to before. This year involves a long flight to California to see the Guardians take on the Angels in Anaheim, followed by the Padres taking on the Yankees in San Diego the next day. Aaron recently had a birthday, mine is Friday, and Nick has one on Saturday, so I am sure there will also be some low-key celebrations around the birthday theme. Mostly, it is an excellent opportunity to reconnect with all four of them face-to-face,

Whatever your vacation plans for this summer, enjoy them. Vacations give us a chance to spend quality time with our families. They help us recharge our batteries. And sometimes they are even restful (though I usually get home more tired than when I left).

But there is a danger with vacations. No, I’m not talking about the threat of sunburn or pickpockets. I am not talking about car troubles or smelly hotel rooms. I am talking about taking a vacation from God.

It happens so quickly. At home, we are in a routine. We say our prayers before meals and before bed, we have family devotions, and we get up Sunday morning to go to church. God is part of our life — part of our routine.

But then we go on vacation. Prayers stop being said. Bibles and devotional books get left at home. Sunday morning comes and goes without even a thought of God or church.

God never takes a vacation. The Bible tells us he “never slumbers nor sleeps” (Psalm 121:4). Even while we are on vacation, God isn’t. He is there watching over us, blessing us, and especially forgiving us. God never takes a vacation from you, so don’t take one from Him.

When you pack for your vacation this year, throw your Bible or a devotional book in your suitcase. Ask your pastor before you go to give you the name and address of a nearby church. What a joy to worship with Christian brothers and sisters in another city, state, or country.

If there isn’t a church nearby, you can do what we did one summer when the boys were much younger. We were camping in the middle of nowhere. There were no churches nearby, so we did our own church. We sang a couple of songs that we all knew by heart. We read from the Bible, and we talked about it as a family. We said the Lord’s Prayer and Apostle’s Creed together. We prayed God would bless our trip — and He did.

Different seasons of life call for other methods of spending time with God. I can miss this window to grow deeper in my faith if I’m not careful. Too quickly, I get caught up in activities and have a disruptive schedule. I pray your summer is filled with exciting and new opportunities. In all the changes in habits and schedules, I pray you find new ways to connect with God. Thank you for thinking of us as you do.

Please Thank God For: Jaxson Raghunandan who was baptized Sunday. Pray also for his parents, Jerome and Joselyn, as they continue their family life together in Christ.

Please Thank God For: Returning guests at our congregation here in Miramar.

Please pray For: Joey, who is recovering from surgery.

Please Pray For: Joyce Brosch and her ongoing therapy.

Please Pray For: Geri Nay who is struggling with chemo and heart problems.

Please Pray For: Kathy Duitsman, who has breast cancer.

Please Thank God For: All those who lift us up in prayer.

Please Pray For: Leela Izzo, that God would strengthen and heal her.

Please Pray For: Those who struggle with housing needs.

Please pray For: all those who are out of work.