Pastor's Corner: Taking the Lord on your vacation

Connie and I just returned from our vacation from Everett, Washington, to San Diego, California, experiencing three lessons along the 4,218 mile trip.

The first lesson was to be in the state of rest knowing that there were no pressing schedules. God instructs us to rest from our worried, fears, expectations and drives by placing His yoke on our shoulders, united with His strength.

MT 11:28-30 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  

And the Apostle Paul writes by the inspiration of God in Philippians 4:6-7, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.

“If you do this, you will experience God’s peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”

The second lesson was the restoring of relationships with family and friends. The encouragement in seeing God’s working in their lives as God continues to guide them in His path. Some were growing in their spiritual walk through raising children, facing challenges at work or in their service to others.

We are told in the Bible, COL 2:5ff “And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.” Oh the joy of blessing others in God’s love and grace.

And the third lesson was to recognize that the Lord’s presence was with us every step of the way. Whether it was in family gatherings, accomplishing work projects or simply sharing significant events through the years, God’s Spirit prepared our hearts to say encouraging words and re-establishing relationships. The miles were long but as we surrendered our availability to His will we found the results far exceeded our own plans for adventure and produced the desired rest we longed for from the start.

So if you are planning to head out for a relaxing vacation to refresh your hearts, I personally recommend inviting God’s presence to go with you, surrendering your expectations to His plan and leave the details to His leading. Happy travels and God bless your rest.

(John Chapman is pastor of First Baptist Church of Havre.)