Part of the culture shock for me in immigrating to Australia has been adjusting to the amount of annual leave people receive. The base amount for full-time employees is 4 weeks paid--with 10 sick days a year and something called "long-service leave" which is two additional months off. If you happened to be sick in the same year long-service leave was taken, this would be almost 4 months off work paid.
Whilst some people's eyes light up at the possibility of that much time off work, something inside of me shudders at the prospect. Holidays, in my mind, have the connotation "going to work" has for others. Now I have been blessed and benefited greatly by holiday experiences I have enjoyed with family, but they aren't something I pine for. Holidays are not a dangling carrot which help me push through the daily grind. I am satisfied and pleased with my daily work routine, and I love what I do. Why would I want to create extra hassle and expense to find folks to cover for me? What is special for me these days is a night in, not out.
People spend time thinking about what a perfect holiday would involve, where they would go or what they would see or do. Do you know what my idea of the perfect day is? It would be a day when no one takes a holiday from going to church. What is the sense in taking holidays from fellowship with heaven? I'm not talking about those who do not fear God or those who only go out of guilt when asked: I'm talking about everyone who claims 1) to be a Christian and 2) has a church they call home actually going there for worship and the teaching of the Word all on the same day. That is my idea of bliss.
Can you imagine it? It would be like a family reunion with the worship and praise of God at the centre. The fellowship would be sweet as we gather in unity in the fear of God and love of Jesus Christ. I know people would look around at others and say, "How wonderful this is! We should do this more often!" We can enjoy fellowship in Christ often, and we should. But alas, this level of unity seems strangely elusive. Unity is not going to the same building at a particular hour, but in daily following the Saviour who leads us to contribute to church fellowship and the lives of people week after week. No church is perfect but we have an awesome God; no pastor is without faults but we follow the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ who leads us into green pastures and beside still waters.
For me one day to join believers who gather to seek the LORD is worth a month of holidays spent elsewhere. I would rather open the door to a brother or sister at church than hang a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the outside of my hotel door. King David wrote in Psalm 84:8-12, "O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah 9 O God, behold our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed. 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!" Amen!
Whilst some people's eyes light up at the possibility of that much time off work, something inside of me shudders at the prospect. Holidays, in my mind, have the connotation "going to work" has for others. Now I have been blessed and benefited greatly by holiday experiences I have enjoyed with family, but they aren't something I pine for. Holidays are not a dangling carrot which help me push through the daily grind. I am satisfied and pleased with my daily work routine, and I love what I do. Why would I want to create extra hassle and expense to find folks to cover for me? What is special for me these days is a night in, not out.
People spend time thinking about what a perfect holiday would involve, where they would go or what they would see or do. Do you know what my idea of the perfect day is? It would be a day when no one takes a holiday from going to church. What is the sense in taking holidays from fellowship with heaven? I'm not talking about those who do not fear God or those who only go out of guilt when asked: I'm talking about everyone who claims 1) to be a Christian and 2) has a church they call home actually going there for worship and the teaching of the Word all on the same day. That is my idea of bliss.
Can you imagine it? It would be like a family reunion with the worship and praise of God at the centre. The fellowship would be sweet as we gather in unity in the fear of God and love of Jesus Christ. I know people would look around at others and say, "How wonderful this is! We should do this more often!" We can enjoy fellowship in Christ often, and we should. But alas, this level of unity seems strangely elusive. Unity is not going to the same building at a particular hour, but in daily following the Saviour who leads us to contribute to church fellowship and the lives of people week after week. No church is perfect but we have an awesome God; no pastor is without faults but we follow the Good Shepherd Jesus Christ who leads us into green pastures and beside still waters.
For me one day to join believers who gather to seek the LORD is worth a month of holidays spent elsewhere. I would rather open the door to a brother or sister at church than hang a "Do Not Disturb" sign on the outside of my hotel door. King David wrote in Psalm 84:8-12, "O LORD God of hosts, hear my prayer; give ear, O God of Jacob! Selah 9 O God, behold our shield, and look upon the face of Your anointed. 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness. 11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; no good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. 12 O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man who trusts in You!" Amen!
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