Vacation and God

Just a little thought about vacation and God...

We were in Mombasa (Kenya) on vacation last month, and I had gone out one morning to have a little time with God.

My scripture verse for that day talked about abiding in God, and I thought about it for a minute and said, "Yes, I abide in God."

"No you don't," He said.

Startled, I blurted out, "Yes I do! I'm here right now aren't I?"

"Yes," He said, "but how many days of vacation did it take before you came to have time with me?"

Gulp. "Ummm..."

"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about." He said. "Abide means remain...stay...don't 'go on vacation' from me."

Ouch. "Sorry, Dad."

Then I thought about all the times John and I have gone on furlough, and spent long nights catching up with friends and family...too tired to get up in the mornings for our usual quiet times with God; too busy during the day to fit it in; too tired at night to try to meet with Him before bed. We end up taking a vacation from God, as if meeting with Him is somehow linked to a routine, a school calendar, or whatever.

I thought about this a bit more this last couple weeks when I was in the States. Seems common and normal for most of the church activities to go on hold during the summer...no care groups, no youth groups, no Bible studies. Lots of churches combine services and cut others out altogether. Sure, there are Vacation Bible Schools, and Church camps, and New Wine, and Spring Harvest, and all those things are great, but the regular meeting with God as individuals and groups is often paused.

Why do we do this, I wonder? Is it the activities that we tire of, that we need a break from? Is it too much to expect from ourselves to press into God without ceasing? And yet the Bible is so clear that we must remain in Him for Him to remain in us. We all know how it feels to drift away from the Word and from time with the Lord...how dry we get, how impatient and dissastisfied. Yet it's so easy to slip down that road.

What can we do to avoid this happening every summer...every furlough? Any ideas out there? I'm sure many of us would love to hear what others do to guard that special time with God.