Summer vacations: A practice modeled by Jesus

By Buddy Champion, First Baptist Church Trussville 

Summer is here! The once growing green grass now has dry spots. The rain comes for one part of our city but not the other. The lightning bugs are flying and other bugs seem to be screaming about how hot the evenings are. Vacation Bible Schools are taking place while mission trips are coming and going. In the middle of this, we say that we need a vacation; we need to get away and slow down. It is absolutely true! However, sometimes we get so busy doing good things
that we don’t take time of refresh ourselves. Vacations are a good thing and were even modeled by Jesus himself.

The Bible gives us the essential glimpses into the life of Jesus. Each one these show the Savior of the world as He dealt the many demands of His powerful ministry. He often had multitudes of people demanding His time and personal touch. It was on one such occasion that He told His disciples that it was time to get some rest.

In Mark 6:31 we read “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”” You might remember the context of this verse. Jesus has just learned the His friend and partner in the ministry, John The Baptist, had been killed. At this same time, His disciples have been out on a “mission trip” and are telling Jesus about all what God did in their presence. During all of the busyness of ministry, Jesus tells them they need a break! Not a break from God but a break from living in the fast lane.

It might be time for you to gather those that are closest to you and take a break. Spend a few days away from phones, tv’s, emails, social media, work, hobbies etc…to make sure you are healthy and ready for the crazy schedule that the fall of the year brings!

As we look back at the story in Mark 6, the disciples get into boats to go to their quiet place. The only problem is that over 5,000 hungry people followed them! So Jesus fed those present and again sent His disciples away while He himself went alone to pray. It may be hard to find some time to get away. Don’t give up, even Jesus took time away for a vacation.