Christless Vacation
At this time of summer vacation, church attendance often drops. Many times it has logical explanations because some travel to other places to enjoy the holidays, however there is a percentage of people who stop going to church. For them, Jesus Christ probably took a vacation, which is completely false because He doesn’t have a vacation.
For the universal church, Sunday is the day the Lord rose again and as the first day of the week, we usually go to services in which the congregation is gathered to praise, pray and listen to the pastor’s message. In fact, since the beginning of the universal church, the disciples met on Sundays for the purpose of sharing bread. “On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight.” Acts 20:7 ESV “On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.” 1 Corinthians 16:2 ESV
“For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing you your praise.” Hebrews 2:11-12 ESV So when someone decides to recreate and not save time for the Lord, they are missing a spiritual commitment. If we do not prioritize God in our lives we are disobeying a desire of the Lord, and we will not enjoy the true rest and peace that the Holy Spirit gives. Our spiritual life gives a testimony with our life, and if we distance ourselves from the church we show the world that the Word and the faith that we have is poor. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edge sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and the intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12 ESV
When we approach the church it should be without reservation, with openness and commitment. We must realize that our faith in Jesus Christ is the only means of obtaining salvation, since always merciful God is the one who knows our past, present and future. “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 ESV “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?” Luke 9:25 ESV
The full sense of faith in God involves not only the knowledge of Him but also the response of the whole human person to a commitment and fidelity according to what we believe. So if we participate more in the world that opposes God, we are letting the mundane control us. As a universal church we have survived and grown thanks to the unity that the faithful have towards their local church. The denomination of each church is based on what Jesus Christ bequeathed to us and what is written in the New Testament, as a complement to the Holy Scriptures.
When you go on vacation, don’t forget to bring your Bible, and pray praising and thanking the Lord. Jesus is never on vacation because remember, He is everywhere, He knows everything and He can do everything.
May God bless you.
