Walk in wisdom towards them that are without, redeeming the time. Colossians 4:5
Summer is a time when most people plan to get away from all the busyness of daily life for a little while. What a better way to do that than by taking a vacation. But I’m going to make a statement that may sound controversial: don’t take a vacation. Now, remember I said it was only going to sound controversial. I am not trying to tell you that you should not go out of town and enjoy yourself in a tourist-trap location that will charge you way too much for everything you take part in. If that is what you like to do, then by all means, go do it. But, I want to warn you against taking a vacation from the things that are important. May I offer you some advice?
Don’t take a vacation from reading your Bible. Your Bible is the roadmap of life. Through it, we find the wisdom and guidance we need to help us discern the will of God for each day. When we stop reading the Word of God, we may as well put a blindfold on and try to walk through a minefield. The results can be just as disastrous to our spiritual lives.
Don’t take a vacation from prayer. As much as the Bible is one of God’s ways to communicate with us, prayer is the way that we communicate back to God. Through prayer, we can ask God for the strength we need to make it through the temptations of each day. Not only can we bring our requests to God, but He commands us and encourages us to do so.
Don’t take a vacation from church. With longer days come longer hours and usually more work. We can become weary and worn out, and the easy thing to do is to sit back and relax when we should be in church. Through church, we find the encouragement of fellowship with other believers that helps us to keep pressing on for the Lord. If you skip church, you may very well be missing an important message that God has prepared specifically for you.
Don’t take a vacation from witnessing for the Lord. Summertime generally finds people with more time and better reception to listen to someone sharing the gospel with them. Neglecting to share the gospel is not only a rejection of one of the greatest commands to Christians, but it is passing up a great opportunity to lead someone to Christ.
Don’t take a vacation from holiness. With less structure generally comes less discipline in many areas, but particularly in spiritual things. Don’t neglect your personal relationship with the Lord. Use the summer vacation time to draw closer to the Lord instead of allowing the devil to convince you to take a vacation from the things that are most important.
Read also: Colossians 4:2-6
Quote of the day: “Faith is the gaze of a soul upon a saving God.” – A.W. Tozer
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