Refreshing

I'm getting ready to go on vacation next week. I have three more days of work, followed by a week off, then two days of work, followed by a three-day weekend. Everyone at work keeps asking me, "What are you doing with your time off? Are you traveling? Are you going to keep busy?" We'll be with family and hang out with friends. But honestly, I'm looking forward to a couple of days just relaxing. God promised us times of refreshing (see Acts 3:19), but sometimes I think we miss our opportunity. Oh, I know there is plenty to do, trips to take, people to see. I know we like to do all that and there is nothing wrong with doing all of that, but during the hustle and bustle of your time off, don't forget to take some "down time."

In Genesis, the Bible tells us that on the seventh day, God rested (vv 2:2). I don't think He did that because He was winded, nor do I think He did it because He was stressed and overworked and needed a vacation. I think He did it to be a model to us. We need someone to be a model of good habits, or we won't make them part of our routines. Today's devotion talked about taking a "time out." It said the reason we don't is because we're too busy. "If you want to have the greatest impact when you do work, learn to take 'time out,'" (Friday, Dec. 18, 2009). I've heard teachers and others say that the mind can only taken in so much information before it shuts off. I had a psychology professor in college once say that we weren't supposed to do a "brain flush" after every test. In life, you don't need to do a "brain flush" to feel relaxed. All you need to do is follow what God prescribed in His Word for you: lie down in green pastures and rest beside quite waters so that you may be comforted, refreshed, and restored (see Psalm 23). Have a merry, rested Christmas. Enjoy your time with family, friends, and Jesus.