Vacation from God?

A few weeks ago I read an article about a pastor in Southern California who decided to spend 12 months as an atheist and at the end of that year concluded, “I don’t think that God exists… the intellectual and emotional energy it takes to figure out how God fits into everything is far greater than dealing with reality as it presents itself to us.”

Vacations are nice, but a 1-year vacation
from an important relationship?

Very interesting, isn’t it? A “man of the cloth” who decided to take an extended vacation from God and at the end concluded He wasn’t there anyway. For some this can seem disconcerting. If a professional clergyman, someone who was “paid to be good,” concluded God does not exist, what does that say for those who don’t have theological training, pastoral experience, and who for all intents and purposes are “good for nothing,” as someone once quipped?

What it says, in my view, is not a thing. Yes, it’s hard to “figure out how God fits into everything.” But just because we can’t fully comprehend something, does that mean we must reject it? I really don’t understand how my computer works, but I’m not going to stop using it until my non-technological mind gets it figured out.

The greater issue is why, if you truly have a relationship that is meaningful, why would you want to turn your back on it, even temporarily? If you have a happy, loving marriage, would you elect to sever all ties with your spouse for an entire year to see what that’s like? Not just time apart, but no phone calls, texts, Facebook messages, or even handwritten notes? If the relationship is healthy and important, of course not.

Or a strong friendship – if you value it, if time with that person is fun and worthwhile, you’d no more want to deny yourself from being with that individual for 12 full months than you would elect to go a year without your right hand (or the left, if you’re left-handed).

I don’t know this former pastor. Until recently I’d never heard of him. I don't mention his name because that’s not important. What matters is the principle: If you have a genuine, growing relationship with someone, why would you want to end it, even for a brief time?

There’s a very strident atheist I’ve had some interactions with over the past couple of years who takes pride in claiming he has personally convinced more than a dozen “Christians” to give up their faith and join him in conscious non-belief. Recently, he was making another overture to debunk what the Bible says and dissuade me from trust in Jesus Christ. I responded he would have more success seeking to persuade me to crawl back into my mother’s womb than for me to renounce my faith in Jesus.

Because true biblical faith isn’t something you turn on or turn off whenever it’s convenient. When Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again” (John 3:3), He wasn’t using a euphemism or metaphor. He elaborated, declaring, “Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised by my saying, ‘You must be born again.’... So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:7-8).

What He was saying is “born again” isn’t some religious cliché, casually used as an adjective for a certain theological point of view. It’s a literal, spiritual transaction in which the life of Christ comes into anyone who receives the gift He offers of eternal life: “Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

For the first 30 years of my life, although I participated in religious meetings and activities, I was no more a disciple of Christ than I was a gold medal Olympic sprinter. Because it’s not about doing, but being. Could you persuade a dog to cease being a dog, and become a cat instead? Or can a horse be talked into becoming a fish? In a similar, yet far more profound way, true followers of Jesus – ones that have been born again by His Spirit – could no more renounce their faith than snatch the moon from its orbit.

So while I don’t judge this West Coast pastor, I’m convinced the reason he could so easily discard his belief in God is that he has never experienced real faith in the first place. The Bible says, “even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror” (James 2:19). We must believe with our heads, but true faith is a matter of the heart.

Sadly, many people are 18 inches from the joy and peace of truly knowing Jesus Christ. So near, and yet so far.   

Wanted: An After-Vacation Vacation

Now I understand why many people in Europe annually take weeks – sometimes a full month – of vacation or “holiday” at a time, often putting workplace demands and challenges in limbo.

Last week my family and I spent a week in Panama City Beach, Fla. (before tropical storm Debby approached, thankfully). I think it was Wednesday, maybe even Thursday, before I began unwinding from the stress of projects, deadlines, email, schedules and appointments. Then, just as I was finally starting to “chill,” it was time to drive home. I need a vacation after my vacation!

Do you find yourself "living to work"
or "working to live"?

It’s said people in some parts of the world “live to work,” while folks in other parts of the world – including those in Europe who might be on holiday right now – “work to live.” While Americans seem enamored with the bottom line, checking items off to-do lists, and earning feelings of accomplishment, maybe our fascination with work causes us to miss out on a bit of life. Many of us don’t really know how to relax.

Perhaps that’s one reason the Bible places a premium on rest. The 4th commandments is, “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy” (Exodus 20:8). This command isn’t intended to be restrictive or to limit productivity, as Jesus explained in Mark 2:27 – ”The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” He was saying we require rest; when you burn the candle at both ends, you run out of candle.

One of my favorite characters in the Old Testament is Elijah, who in 1 Kings 18 successfully overcomes the challenge of 450 pagan priests, takes part in several stunning displays of divine power, and correctly predicts the moment a 3½-year drought will end. When told queen Jezebel wants to kill him, he flees. “What a lack of faith!” I’ve heard some preachers say. I don’t think it was a matter of faith; he was simply worn out.

In 1 Kings 19, rather than chastising Elijah, God sends an angel with food, and lets him sleep before issuing his next set of orders. Nowhere does the Lord scold Elijah, “What’s the matter? Didn’t you think I could handle Jezebel?” After Elijah’s participation in miraculous, mind-blowing events, God knew his servant needed a “chill pill.”

Jesus also impressed on His followers the importance of rest. In Mark 6:31 He urged them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Another version of the Bible translates it, “…come apart by yourselves….” Or as I’ve heard it stated, “Come apart before you fall apart.”

There’s nothing wrong with working hard – and when necessary, working long. And we might not be able to take vacations weeks or a month at a time, especially with our “get it done – and get it done now” societal mindset. But we do need rest, and should seek that as diligently as we pursue our daily work.

The Unshakable Kingdom

Earlier this year, my wife and I had an opportunity to spend time at Walt Disney World in Florida with some of our family members. We had been there before, but each return trip is just as amazing an experience as the one before.

We visited the Animal Kingdom, EPCOT and Hollywood Studios theme parks, enjoying the sights and sounds of each. But without question our favorite – and probably the favorite of millions of visitors annually – was the Magic Kingdom. It’s where you find all of the popular Disney characters: Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and Pluto, Peter Pan, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and many others.

The Magic Kingdom is a feast for the eyes with a brilliant kaleidoscope of colors in every direction. Whether you’re taking leisurely boat rides through “it’s a small world” or the more raucous “Pirates of the Caribbean,” experiencing the ups and downs of the Big Thunder Mountain roller coaster, or just strolling toward Cinderella Castle – the park’s focal point – you tiptoe to the brink of sensory overload. What a testament to human creativity and imagination.

However, there is another kingdom, one I have yet to see, that intrigues me even more. In the Bible’s New Testament we read, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire’” (Hebrews 12:28-29).

Without question, our earthly kingdom has been shaken repeatedly; economic turmoil, natural disasters, war, health scares and numerous other concerns keep our emotions on edge. For that reason alone, I find great encouragement and comfort in the assurance that the coming kingdom – God’s eternal kingdom – “cannot be shaken.” Nothing we can do, although God knows we have tried, can upset His divine plans.