Who is in Charge of this Vacation?

Written by Sherri Bergmann 

According to Gallup polls¹, July is the favored month for Americans planning a vacation, with August and June following, consecutively.  

The word vacation comes from Anglo-French, the particular kind of French spoken in medieval England, and ultimately from Latin: vacātiōn-, vacātiō means "exemption from service, respite from work," and traces back to vacāre, "to be empty, be free, have leisure."²

Interesting to note, the Latin definition is similar to the reason God set the Sabbath time aside! In short – a vacation, either by the ordained Sabbath or a week-long break from work, helps us to rejuvenate, bond with family and friends, and most important – bond with God.

The first, to rejuvenate, is priority for most, and the latter, to bond with God, can easily get lost in the busyness and excitement of vacation time. Even on a Sabbath day, many often make it a part of their weekend to catch up on things, to scrunch in time with family and friends and place Christ in the back seat instead of the driver’s seat.

For Real Peace on Vacation – How to Keep Christ in the Driver’s Seat:

Wherever the destination is, whether gaining a high adrenalin rush at Six Flags, or attaining calmness soaking in the natural beauty of Yosemite, here are five ways to place Christ as the driver of your vacation:

1. Pray before the trip. Ask for His guidance and protection. Thank him for the ability to go on the vacation. 
2. If unanticipated things occur, such as a natural disaster or a mix-up with a camping reservation, pray for His wisdom to navigate you and those with you through the trial and for His intervention to get out of the trial. 
3. Take time to read His Word. You can obtain a pocket-sized Bible to carry in your pocket, backpack or purse. Pick up a free one, which includes the New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs, at Foothills church’s library. The library also has free devotionals and good readings you can keep. If you haven’t visited the library before, check it out for books you can check out by popular authors and a wide genre to enrich your spiritual growth. 
4. If a decision needs to be made during the vacation, include God first before you make the decision and ask for His wisdom and guidance. 
5. When standing in a long line, such as an entry to a ride or a concession stand, use that time to pray. Pray what to do next, pray how to resolve any family issues, pray for any vacation concerns. 

Another way to keep Christ in the driver’s seat is to remember your tithes and offerings while on vacation. You can easily set up an automatic payment online so you don’t have to worry about forgetting. God’s promises are solid. Not only does your tithing money help to keep your church functioning, God promises that “Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need.” (Malachi 3:10 ESV)

Keep Christ with you at all times during your vacation, and keep Him in the driver’s seat. It’s better to travel with Him than without.


1 https://news.gallup.com/poll/6112/majority-americans-plan-vacation-summer.aspx
2 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vacation