Holidolatry

As many people are currently on holiday/recently returned from holiday/wishing they were on holiday/planning their next holiday, it got me thinking about how easy it is for holidays to become an idol that we worship instead of Jesus.
  • We think a holiday is going to solve all our problems. If your family are at each other's throats, a bit of time together away from the normal routines may well help. But, by itself, a holiday wont address the root issues of that conflict. You are not in conflict with your wife and children just because you need a break, the conflict exists because our selfish hearts sin against each other. The holiday could provide time to think, talk and pray through the issues, but by itself, it is not the solution.
  • Because we can think the holiday is the answer to our problems, we make sacrifices for it - saving up money throughout the rest of the year for it, having to cut back on other things to make sure it happens.We prepare for it - studying the destinations or attractions, reading the reviews, buying new clothes. We evangelise about it - talking about it before and after it happens. Pray that God would captivate our hearts so that we talk about him as much as we do about our holiday. If you are willing to make sacrifices of time, and money for a holiday, why not look at those same things to invest in your relationship with God.
  • We can start to worship the holiday. The thought of it gets you through the long days at work. We think that we are better, happier people on holiday, you are really you when you're on holiday. In reality you're a better, happier person with Jesus. You're really you with Jesus. You need Jesus.
Holidays are good. Take one. But holidays are not God. Worship Jesus instead of committing holidolatry

Jeremiah 8:20 “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.”

 For that we need Jesus