Holiday's are God's idea
WHEN it comes to holiday time, hopefully for most of us it's smiles all round.
A break from work, college or school is always welcome, and if you can get away to enjoy some guaranteed sunshine, so much the better.
Even so, these days the "staycation" is more popular and there's lots to see, close to our own doorstep.
For many of us, the summer is the ideal time to get away from it all for a while.
There was a time, of course, when for many people holidays simply didn't exist.
Until Christian people like Lord Shaftesbury and others began to bring some humanity into the "Satanic mills" of the industrial revolution, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, was many people's working lot.
Sadly, that's still the case in so-called "sweatshops" in some developing countries.
Even here in the UK, we hear stories of people illegally forced to work crazy hours for meagre pay.
But surprisingly, holidays are God's idea.
I say "surprisingly", since many people today have an idea of a rather stern and judgemental God who doesn't lift a finger to stop things going wrong – why would he invent holidays?
It's easy to blame God when we see starving children in Africa, or the effects of earthquakes in poor countries.
"Can't imagine him wanting to give us something nice like a holiday," you may say.
The word "holiday" has its roots in "Holy Day".
Something is said to be holy if it is special, set apart, to be respected – like the "Holy Bible", for example.
It was in this book that people first heard the idea of 6 days of work, followed by a day off.
This goes right back to the Genesis account of the creation of the world.
The Old Testament, with its stories of God's dealing with ancient Israel, is full of instruction to have time off work, to rest, celebrate and worship.
So God invented holidays to give us rest and refreshment, and they still have that purpose today.
So, this summer, enjoy your holiday.
Relax, party, have fun.
God says so!
Patrick Woodward is a member of River of Life Church, Broadwater.
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Wednesday 30 May 2012
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