Dear Members and Friends of Emmanuel,
This is the double issue of the Gazette, a reminder of the fact that the summer season is on us once again. It is going to give most of us the opportunity to take a well-earned rest and for others it will provide an opportunity for wider ministry at camps, beach missions etc. It is a very important time and a time to be used well.
Some Christians like to take a “super-spiritual” position and say that Christians should not take holidays. For others they see virtue in being constantly on the go and seemingly active in God’s service. There are others however who seize every opportunity to take a holiday. It is easy when people have such conflicting views as these for a judgemental and condemnatory spirit to develop, so how do we gain a Biblical perspective on holidays.
A few weeks ago I spoke with the children about David’s misuse of holidays when his armies went to war and yet he remained at home (2 Sam. 11). We all know the tragic results of that untimely holiday.
The first thing to understand is that God introduced a day of rest by His own example from the dawn of creation. Genesis 2 tells us that God rested on the seventh day and made it holy. This principle of six regular days of work followed by a day of rest is formalised in the Ten Commandments. OT believers rested on the seventh day to remember their deliverance from Egypt. New Testament believers rest on the first day of the week in order to remember the victory and completion of Christ’s atoning work as He rose from the dead. The principle is that we rest and worship regularly
Similarly in the Old Testament pattern of worship there were feasts spread throughout the year, in the first, third, seventh and nine months. I suggest that it is significant that in the first month the feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread covered a period of a week; similarly in the seventh month the festivals of Booths (Tabernacles) and a solemn assembly covered another full week. God’s people were told “you shall not do any ordinary work.” (Lev 23:36) The New Testament lays down no requirement for Christians to observe any particular feast days, with the exception that we are told firmly to observe Communion in remembrance of Christ, but we can glean principles from the Old Testament pattern.
The first principle articulated in Scripture concerning holidays is that they are to be times of rest and that is achieved by taking a break from regular work. In effect Scripture has no place for a “bus man’s holiday”. You gain nothing by doing the same job in another place; ministers need to be cautious about preaching on holidays and teachers need to make sure that summer camps take only a part of their summer break.
A second principle is housed in the fact that they are holy-days. God called his people to take a break from ordinary work in order that they might meet together to remind themselves of the great events of their history and to thank God for His faithfulness through yet another year. Our holidays should not simply be an escape to the sun, but times when perhaps we have more time for reading and prayer as well as enjoying God in His creation. A friend of mine told me how they took a holiday in the Swiss Alps and his son was troubled for days when he saw the grandeur of the mountains and considered the greatness of our Creator. That led to personal faith in God. Holiday destinations, particularly continental ones do not always provide a good local church, but family prayers and marital devotions can be enriched as more time is available for these on Sunday. Similarly, groups of single people holidaying together can arrange times for prayer and worship together.
A further point to consider when planning holidays is the effect that our timing will have on our regular ministry and the ministry of others. The example from David’s life shows that his decision to take an untimely holiday had tragic results in his own life and the lives of others.
We often consider ourselves as a family or a body when we meet together at church, but we in fact remain a family when we are scattered to the corners of the globe. Probably it is too late to encourage people to consider timing and locations of holidays for this year, but we need to ask ourselves “How will my taking a break at this time affect the life and ministry of Emmanuel?”
As a church we are facing a number of changes that may leave us stretched as far as continuing to exercise certain ministries. God has supplied all the gifting required for all the ministries he asks of us, as long as we work together, consider each other and the purpose for which exist as a church.
I trust that this summer will see all of us refreshed as a result of a summer break, and that we will return set to work together again for the glory of our God and the salvation of lost sinners.
Warmly yours,
Bernard
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