June 2026

When I grew up the school year was over around Memorial Day and resumed around Labor Day. Thus, we had three full months of summer. I looked forward to those three months all year long. Not only was I home and not in school, but I knew my dad was going to take us to Daytona Beach at some point during the summer. I have so many good memories from my childhood of my family vacations on the beach. As we rapidly approach summer, I hope you will all be able to take a few days to get away from the stresses and pressures of real life and enjoy a vacation.

Although the Bible does not specifically use the word “vacation,” it does have a lot of say about the need to rest and take time away from the daily minutia of life. God established the Sabbath principle from the beginning when He rested on the seventh day of creation. Genesis 2:2-3 2 By the seventh day God completed His work that He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work that He had done. 3 God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, for on it He rested from His work of creation. God codified this Sabbath’s rest later in the Torah. Leviticus 23:3 “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places.” Jesus understood the need for rest in His incarnated state. Matthew 8:24 And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. Even though the water was rough Jesus still needed rest in His human form. Likewise, Jesus offered His children rest in Himself. Matthew 11:28-30 28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” The writer of Hebrews connects the Sabbath’s rest to the redemption that Jesus has provided His people in Hebrews 4:8-10 8 For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10 for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Followers of Christ can now rest from works as an attempt to be made right with God. We can cling to the finished work of Jesus and find eternal rest.

As we begin a very busy summer, find some time to get alone with God and rest in Him. Seek solitary moments this summer where you can read His Word, pray, and meditate on Him. The amazing Psalter begins with a recognition of the power in the Word of God and the importance of meditating on it. Psalm 1:1-2 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners,  nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,  and on his law he meditates day and night. Never forget the practical utility and spiritual vitality that is found in resting in the Lord and meditating on His Word. Despite the business of summer, may we all enter a new school year, another Fall, and the Holiday Season energized, spiritualized, and harmonized to God by being intentional to find times to rest in Him and meditate on His Word.
Pastor Clint Miller