On Vacation?

I went away on vacation recently. But don’t you know, dear reader, that you can’t take a vacation from God? What I mean is, you can temporarily change your location and you can take a break from your daily routine…but when God has something for you to do—you just can’t get away.

In times of trouble and when faced with certain danger, it is so encouraging to know that God is there. And when we are walking in His way and serving Him the best way we can, we are so welcoming of His presence. But what about those times when we aren’t quite living up to our call? Are we as anxious to stand before Him?

I am reminded of Psalm 139, where David so eloquently states, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there.” Of course, this is not a frustration with the omnipresence of God, but an overwhelming awe of the fulfillment of His promise to never leave or forsake us. Yet, when we are out of His will, this may take on a new meaning for us.

For example, when Jonah was called to preach against the city of Nineveh, he decided to decline God’s assignment. So he packed his bags and went on vacation! Well, sort of. He ran away toward the city of Tarshish. He never made it, though, as he was swallowed by a big fish while en route. So much for getting away, huh?

And if you remember way back in the beginning, after Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit, they tried to hide from His presence. But in the Garden of Eden, there was no place to hide their faces from Him. And even when they received their just punishment—banishment from the garden—God still watched over them.

Whether you work in ministry or serve from the pews, there may come a time where you feel like “taking a break.” It may come in the form of falling off from your responsibilities, or just getting lax in your prayer and Bible reading. The truth is, we can’t take “time off” from being Christians. Nor can we “get away” from the call on our lives.

Paul, who was a great worker in ministry, understood our human limitations. He encouraged the churches and warned them often to “faint not.” In 2 Corinthians 4:16, he offers the following words of encouragement, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.” The irony is that our daily renewal, our very strength, comes from doing the very things that our bodies and minds are telling us that we’re too tired to do!

Next time you feel the urge to “get away” from the Lord’s will, try a staycation: Stay in prayer, stay in the Word, and stay in His presence. He will fill you with joy—and the joy of the Lord is your strength!