Vacations

Vacations are the breeding ground to build relational bonds. It’s a chance to get away, go on a quest, explore unknown places, and build memories together that’ll last a lifetime. It’s like transporting into another world, experiencing a moment in time, and then returning with a memory bubble that we treasure forever. Those moments are the highlights in our lives and reflection is sweet.

Family time is precious. But what if our loved ones have spread out across the country and our time with them has diminished? What if someone dies and building memories together ends? Relationships come and go. We each have our lives and pursue our own dreams. It’s like we wake up after childhood and face the reality of remote loved ones, busy lives, and minimal time for each other.

It makes us appreciate our relationships all the more. We desire to maintain our relationships and we make efforts to stay connected. We treasure them in our hearts and want to enjoy their presence whenever we can.

The same is true with God, our Father. We are so thankful for Him and the sacrifice of His Son. We pray frequently to keep Him in our lives. He is our ultimate treasure and we naturally crave His presence.

Since God is our Father, we are brothers and sisters in Christ. We long to fellowship and worship our Lord together. Christians are all members of the body of Christ, and we instinctively yearn for fellowship and the communion of the Holy Spirit. Collectively, we are the Bride of Christ.

God created us as social beings. Relationships are valuable for our health and our personal growth. They enrich our lives and deepen our relationship with God. When we are in relationships, our character grows as we bear fruit, make valuable connections, and establish lifelong bonds.

But it’s not about what we get out of it. It’s much more important to be a friend than to have one. There are souls out there who have no one close. They are desperate for love. We can be that friend if we are aware of those around us and reach out to them with the unconditional love of Jesus. We can make a difference in their lives and invite them into the family of God. Then they’ll have an eternal family bound together in His love.

“If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.” John 15:12-16

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