Week Twenty-Two - I Need a Vacation

I'm so ready for a vacation. Not a working one, not a meeting with family one, but a staring at the sky or sitting on the beach or any place where the sun is shining and a nice breeze is blowing with no unwelcome distractions. How about you?

  I got to daydreaming about this the other day, and I wandered off into thinking of unwanted vacations, the kind we think will never end.

  Like sometimes, we land in a place where we are fearful. The world seems to be caving in all around us, relationships grow difficult, and our times are so uncertain. It leaves us lonely and afraid. It's not a great spot to find rest.

  At other times, we get stuck as anger grasps our hearts and colors our every word and motive. We feel it scorching deep inside, no matter how hard we try to suppress it. Anger evades our prayers and twists our thoughts, leaving us nervous and weary of the battle, but we just can't find our way home.

  Disillusionment is a cold and dark vacation spot. We know this world is not our home, but even passing through feels disheartening. The beauty of life has been shoved aside for so long, we can barely see the light of hope.

  And we have probably all visited discouragement. Things aren't moving ahead as we expected. It seems like one step forward and two steps back. We push and push, and it feels we are the only ones putting forth the effort to break free.  And what does God say about these unpleasant vacation spots?

  For fear, he says, "You need my perfect love. My love casts out fear. Come, rest in my arms and let me love you."

  If you are angry, you'll hear him saying, "You need to put that away, my child. Let it go. I will give your heart a song so you can sing praises to me, and we'll rejoice together."

  Disillusioned? "Look at the beauty of me," God says, "I've given you my wonderful rainbow of promise, the beauty of the sunset, the great and exceedingly precious promises of my word, and my unfailing faithfulness. You won't be disappointed."

  Discouraged? "Oh, dear child, take heart. Drink from my fountain, feed on the bread of life, strengthen your weary soul in me."

  You know, I've been to many beautiful places around this world, but the loveliest vacations I have ever experienced were the ones where I drew aside with the Lord. I didn't have to be on the beach or wearing my sunhat. I simply cuddled up in my chair and wrapped the sarong of his word around my aching and cold little heart, allowing the warmth of the spirit to permeate my bones and the sunshine of his love to brighten me through and through. He met me there!

  Do you need a vacation? Make sure you pick a Son-ny spot!