"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.
Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge" (Psalm 62:5-8, CSB).
Vacation is good. Vacation can be relaxing. But vacation can also be a lot of work. Planning. Packing. Double-checking everything. Auto maintenance or purchasing airline tickets. The mad dash to the airport or the long hours in the car. Finding and paying for accommodations. Discovering delicious and unique options for food that won't break the vacation bankroll. And if all that wasn't enough, sometimes it's even work to find the right place to get comfortable, plop yourself down, and just BE. A patch of sand? A rock on a mountain vista? Feet dangling in the pool? Decisions, decisions. There is a reason that people who come back from vacation often quip, "now I need the vacation after 'the vacation!'"
I think what everyone is actually looking for, in real life and also in "vacation mode," is true, satisfying, soul-restoring rest. What we seek is something that is truly not available to us in a sin-broken world. The rest we are able to achieve is, at its best, just a shadow of what God would have for us. We can search the world for ways to be relaxed and rejuvenated, but the only way we find satisfying rest is in the arms of God. Jesus often beckoned His disciples to come away with Him to a quiet place so that they could be bolstered and restored for the work ahead. The work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to draw us closer to the heart of the Father, who created us as human beings and wants us to stay human beings, not become human doings that find their identity in good works. He truly does want you to know the peace of having a place in His family... simply because He loves you.
Our souls can only truly find rest in God. Our hope can only come from Him and His plan. If we want to be on solid ground, we will look for Him to be our Fortress that cannot be destroyed or shaken. Our salvation truly does depend on Jesus' loving sacrifice, and we can trust that His resurrection has given us an eternal refuge in God's house and family.
Whether or not you are able to get out and find some enjoyment and temporary rest in a longer vacation this year or not, my prayer for you is that you would find rest for your soul and the only One who can give it to you: God. Blessings on your travels. May your homecomings be sweet. And may the (true but imperfect) rest you receive encourage you to long more passionately for the Day when you will be completely and totally HOME.
Adventure is out there!
Pastor Aaron