6 Ideas for a Christ-Centered Family Vacation

Ecclesiastes 8:15a says, “So I commend the enjoyment of life.” A family vacation is a time for rejuvenation and reconnection. The Bible commends enjoyment while on this earth — surely not as an end in itself but as an appropriate usage of our time and resources while we are here. Celebration is part of biblical culture. We see Jesus’ kindness to us when we are able to travel or take time away from our typical schedules to be together with those we love. So, enjoy!

Don’t dismiss this time as less than spiritual but remember and fully experience the blessing that you have been given to take this time with family. Remember: “Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward” (Psalm 127:3). Spending time as a family honors God’s gift of children to you. Enjoy your life, enjoy your vacation, and enjoy your children. Let your children know that part of this vacation is your pleasure in and enjoyment of them — and they will feel honored and loved by you!

2. Pray Together as a Family

While you are on vacation, together with your families and away from a typical busy schedule, there can be increased time for praying together before meals or before the start of the day. Take time to do a family devotional session with your loved ones to start the day in a Christ-centered manner. Read Scripture together, share your blessings from the Lord with each other, and pray together.

Commit your vacation to the Lord and ask Him to use it to strengthen family ties according to His will. You will remember these set-aside moments with your family. The Bible speaks about taking the time during the course of life to teach God’s ways to our children: “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise” (Deuteronomy 11:19). Vacation can be a wonderful time of extended togetherness to do just that.

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Consider with me some areas in Scripture that call for rest.

- Jesus welcomes us to His light burden (Matthew 11:29-30).

- God asks the Israelites to rest on the seventh day, according to how He made creation (Exodus 20:8-11).

- Scripture calls Sunday, the day of Jesus’ resurrection, as the Lord’s Day (Revelation 1:10)—set apart for Him.

Vacation can be an extended time of rest, set apart to God. He is kind to give us seasons and times where we can be with Him in a restful state.

Use this time to turn your eyes to the Lord and remember your heavenly calling. Remember His beauty as you admire the beauty around you. Remember His love for the world as you experience new cultures. Be looking for what the Lord wants to teach you as you rest yourself in Him, and let His teachings wash over you as renewal for your spirit. Make sure God — and not the many things you need to do when you get home — has your attention.

4. Select a Passage of Scripture for Meditation

You can also use vacation as a time to meditate on a single passage of Scripture. Select one Psalm and read it each day, asking God to illuminate Himself to you in a new way as you consider that passage each morning or afternoon. Let that Scripture permeate your vacation, fill your spirit, and give life to your days.

Be like the Psalmist who is planted by streams of water: “His delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:2). In this way, you are giving your vacation to Christ, letting Him fill you and minister to you through His Word as you go about your sight-seeing or as you sit by the beach. Likely, you will internalize the passage that you meditate upon, and it will come to mind throughout the day — making your vacation spiritually rich.

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I select a number of books for my vacation time — some on current events and some novels. But I also ensure that I have at least one book that is specifically Christ-exalting and nourishing of my spiritual life.

If you are a beach-reader like I am, consider selecting reading material that corresponds with Philippians 4:8, "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” For my vacation, I have selected a book about the second coming of Christ — and I imagine sitting in tropical weather being inundated with truth after truth about the anticipation of Jesus’ coming. I anticipate a holy, beautiful time with the Lord; that is what I humbly, longingly ask of Him.

6. Pick a Biblical Theme for Your Vacation

Many people pick a word for the year. For example, I feel as though God has given me the word “faithfulness” for this year — and perhaps for the rest of my life. I think of faithfulness to my family, faithfulness to my work, and faithfulness to Jesus most of all. This is the word that resonates with me and my spirit. If you select a word for the year, use vacation time to home in on this theme. If you do not, consider asking God for a word of focus for your vacation.

Perhaps as a mom, you notice that you struggle with patience — use this time to love and look longingly at the patience of Christ. You will start to become what you love as you focus on this fruit of the Spirit as your word for vacation. Elevate your interest in spiritual growth during vacation and see what God does in your spirit.

What does God want to do with your vacation? Maybe the whole theme of the vacation is about strengthening family ties. Your passage for meditation, your “word,” and your reading material could focus on this one theme as your eyes look away from the office and toward the gift of family that you have been given. Whatever the Lord gives you for this time, know that you will honor Him with your time away if you ask what He would like to do coinciding with this time of enjoyment for you. He will be pleased and bless your time away.

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