Break time

They all joined together constantly in prayer (Acts 1:14).

We all need to take a break every now and then. Employees who never take vacation time are at risk for suffering burnout. Trying to work long shifts without a break lowers productivity and increases the risk of accidents. Even when things were perfect in the Garden of Eden, God intended us to rest one day out of seven.

But taking a break from some things can be harmful. Taking a break from your scheduled medications can slow your recovery, maybe even put your life at risk. A mortgage company will not look kindly on your decision to take a break from making payments. Children need their parents all the time, not just on weekends. And a diet won’t do you much good if you take breaks from it.

The most dangerous vacation of all is taking time off from God. Our Lord and Master has high expectations for human behavior. He expects you to always show respect to your elders and people in authority. He forbids you from saying angry words that cause other people hurt. He expects you to keep every promise. You are to always tell the truth, never take anything that doesn’t belong to you, and not waste time longing for things that God hasn’t given you. When you need something, God wants you to ask Him for it in prayer, and He expects to be thanked for the good things He gives you. Everything you say and do is supposed to show respect for God. To break any of God’s rules is to invite His judgment, and His rules are in effect all the time; you dare not take a break from obeying God.

Of course, no matter how hard we try, we fail to honor God’s laws as we should. We sin over and over again every single day. As a result, we need Jesus constantly. Only He has the authority to forgive us; it would be foolhardy in the extreme to take a vacation from the only One who can save us from God’s punishment in hell.

We also need to be coached. It’s easy to get so wrapped up in our problems and desires that we forget about God and His laws. We need constant reminders of what God expects; we get those reminders when we attend church and read the Bible. Taking a break from Word and Sacrament only sets us up for failure. If you have been away from God for awhile, I need to tell you that break time’s over—it’s for your own good.