GOD DOES NOT TAKE A VACATION

For many, especially for those of us who live in Wisconsin, summer is a time of warmth, sunshine, cookouts, festivals, shorts and sandals, fishing, the lake, family reunions and all of the things that make us appreciate this time of the year.

We appreciate summer because we are well aware that in a few short months we will experience cold, snow, ice, coats, boots, dead car batteries, high heating bills and all of the things that make us look forward to the next summer that will come.

Summer is also a time for vacations. We travel across the country, outside of the country, to islands, on cruise ships and multiple mini excursions. Some of us go “home” – that is, back to Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee, Louisiana, the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Kentucky, D.C., Virginia, Maryland and other states where we were born (sorry if I missed your state).

Whereas, some of us are fortunate enough to vacation all year long – and we are not mad at you, the rest of us vacation primarily in the summer. Whether summer or all year, there is one thing in which we rejoice and celebrate every single day of the year:

God Does Not Take A Vacation
<ul>
	<li>24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, God’s Spirit is within us…</li>
	<li>24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, God loves us…</li>
	<li>24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, God cares for us…</li>
	<li>24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, God gives us His grace…</li>
	<li>24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, God gives us His mercy…</li>
	<li>24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, God grants us His favor…</li>
	<li>24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, God forgives us…</li>
	<li>24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, God gives us air to breathe…</li>
	<li>24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, God is faithful…</li>
	<li>24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, even when we are not, God is faithful</li>
	<li>The Psalmist shares in Psalm 46:1, “God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.” God is always there - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.</li>
</ul>
My challenge for us on today is simple: Are we faithful to God? Do we take a vacation from God when we are on vacation? Do we take a vacation from attending worship when we are on vacation? Do we take a vacation from our spiritual values when we are on vacation? Do we take a vacation from our Tithes and Offerings when we are on vacation? Do we take a vacation from God, and the things of God when we are on vacation?

Just as we expect God to remain faithful to us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year – even while we are on vacation, God expects that we will remain faithful to Him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year – even when we are on vacation.