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Summer Time(Written by Dr. Rudi Swanepoel)Summertime, at last! Sun, fun, vacation and moving the lawn all in one. For many of you it is a time to kick back and do nothing, at least for a few days. Do you know that Jesus went on vacation too? In Matthew 15:27 we read that Jesus withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. He had been ministering hard to so many people. He wanted to get away, at least for a little while to rest. We read in Mark 7:24 that He went into a house and did not want anyone to know where He was. Even though He is the Son of God, He was our perfect example when He walked here on earth in a body like ours. He needed the rest. We also read that it was impossible to keep it a secret. He could not be hidden from public notice. There are very important lessons for us to learn in this: 1. It is not wrong to go on vacation. (Did I hear you say hallelujah?) Even Jesus took a break to rest. These days we are hard pressed to speak about vacation and rest in one sentence. Usually you need rest coming from a vacation. Do not make that mistake. Utilize this precious time to get your physical batteries fully charged again. Spend that precious time of yours with the people that matter in your life. Build your family ties and invest splendidly into your marriage. There is no other time of year where you are being paid to actually be busy with these most important people in your life. 2. You cannot take a vacation from being a Christian! Your vacation serves only to change your schedule and not your personality. Although Jesus was on vacation He still found time to be Who He was. He delivered a woman’s daughter from demonic possession. She needed Him and He was there for her, even while He was on vacation. Too many Christians slip down the slippery road of compromise and sin, and then blame it on the summer vacation. Do not relax your moral values just because you’re on vacation. Remember who you are! As a believer, your vacation can be spiritually rewarding in tremendous ways. The Lord should never be a mere part of our schedule. He is the vital Part of our lives!
3.
It does not matter where you go when you are on vacation, you should
always be recognized as a follower of the Lord. No matter where Jesus went, His
secret was out. You cannot hide Him in your life until your vacation is over! Aren’t you glad the Lord does not take a vacation when it comes to watching over your life. He never leaves things to just happen, just because He needs a break. Psalm 121:3 says: “He Who keeps you will not slumber!” Know that during this vacation you can rest in the fact that He watches over you. I also want to remind you that church happens, even during your vacation. What better time to come and enjoy the presence of the Lord, without thinking about going to work the next day! We pray this will be a great and wonderful summer for us all.
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