Keeping Jesus at the Center of Your Summer
Summer vacation means Vacation Bible School (VBS). We may remember participating in something like this as a kid, or with our kids. Or maybe we are volunteering for a week of VBS at our church or with our grandkids.
Can you remember any of your favorite VBS songs? Our VBS always has a fun “theme” around which the activities and songs build to make it memorable and fun.
Now, as we get older, we tend to stop thinking of ourselves as participants in VBS. And, as our summer vacations help us take a break from daily life and rest and restore, but how often do we also take a break from our spiritual life, too?
The life of the Christian is one of lifelong learning. Discipleship, meaning following Jesus and becoming more like Him, doesn’t end when we graduate formal schooling. So, here is my proposition:
Let’s take a Summer Vacation WITH Jesus, not away from Him.
I want you to consider what it might look like for your summer vacation to be a time of intention with Jesus. Even if you aren’t going anywhere geographically this summer, you could set aside a week for a VBS staycation.
We don’t need a fancy spiritual retreat for it to be meaningful and transformative. Let’s not overcomplicate it. We need God’s Word— and He has already given it to us.
Pre-made resources
Here are some examples of recently released “plug and play” curricula you could use, particularly with a small group, neighbors or family on your vacation or staycation (Also, consider what it might mean to do one of these as a grown up and rekindle our child-like wonder and faith):
- Theme: exploring God’s greatness through Creation, care, love forgiveness and faithfulness
- Songs: Zoom in and Magnified
- Theme: God’s presence on the journey of life
- Songs: Road Trip, Wherever you Go
- Theme: Trusting Jesus as your ultimate guide; utilizing a compass as the object lesson
- Theme: Knowing Jesus is one thing, living it out is another thing…and living it out IS the thing
- Song: It’s time to live it out
Use your Bible
Here’s what I mean— if you have a Study Bible, you can do a self-guided study by theme or word. (If you don’t have a Study Bible, now is a great time to invest in one!)
- Pick a word or topic and read on that topic each day— often Study Bibles have a concordance at the back with references around a word or subject, start there!
- Pick a character of the Bible that’s always been interesting for you and learn whatever you can on them
- Go on a “treasure hunt” in your Bible— pick a verse to start, maybe a favorite, and then follow the cross references to see how it fits within the wider story of Scripture
Be a Culture Gardener
Summer seems an obvious time to consider all the agricultural references in the Bible and for that you could join me in the Culture Garden challenge over at Carmenlaberge.com/culture-gardener/
- Explore during the summer growing season what it means to have the Word of God planted deeply within, the necessity of God’s light and living water to bring about the growth of grace in our lives to a harvest of righteousness to His glory.
Look right where you are
Are you going to the lake? Visiting a national park or hiking through mountains? Consider linking your study to your location and help make the spiritual, visual. Study what the Bible has to say around a topographical theme. Some ideas:
On a mountain:
- Mount Sinai/Horeb: God gave Moses the Ten Commandments here (Exodus 19-20).
- Mount Zion: A holy mountain, often associated with Jerusalem and the temple (Psalm 125).
- Mount Moriah: The location of Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac (Genesis 22) and later the site of Solomon’s Temple (2 Chronicles 3:1).
- Mount Carmel: The site of Elijah’s showdown with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18).
- Mount of Olives: Jesus prayed here before his arrest, and later ascended to heaven from this mountain (Matthew 26, Luke 22, Acts 1).
- Mount of Transfiguration: Jesus appeared in glory to his disciples (Matthew 17).
- Mount of the Beatitudes: Where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5).
At the lake:
The Bible mentions several lakes, most notably the Sea of Galilee (also known as the Lake of Gennesaret) and the Dead Sea (referred to as the Salt Sea). Other references include the lake of fire, a symbolic representation of hell. Additionally, the Bible refers to various pools, such as the Pool of Bethesda, Pool of Siloam, and others. Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
- Sea of Galilee: This freshwater lake is the site of many events in Jesus’s ministry, including his walking on water and calming the storm.
- Dead Sea: A hyper-saline lake, also known as the Salt Sea, is mentioned in the context of Sodom and Gomorrah’s destruction.
- Lake of fire: This is a symbolic depiction of eternal punishment in the Book of Revelation, often associated with hell.
- Pools: The Bible also mentions several pools, including the Pool of Bethesda, where Jesus healed a paralytic, and the Pool of Siloam, where Jesus healed a blind man. Other pools include the Pool of Gibeon and the Pool of Samaria
Or the river:
The Bible frequently references rivers, both literally and metaphorically. Some prominent examples include the Euphrates, Jordan, Nile, and the four rivers of Eden (Pishon, Gihon, Tigris, and Euphrates). Rivers also appear in symbolic contexts, representing God’s life-giving presence or the flow of His word.
Literal References:
- Garden of Eden: Genesis 2:10-14 describes a river flowing from Eden that divides into four rivers: Pishon, Gihon, Tigris (Hiddekel), and Euphrates.
- Euphrates: A major river mentioned throughout the Bible, particularly in the Old Testament, and also in Revelation 16:12 where its water is dried up.
- Jordan: The river that forms the border of the Promised Land and where Jesus was baptized.
- Nile: The major river of Egypt, mentioned in connection with Moses being placed in the river as a baby.
- Other Rivers: The Bible also mentions rivers like the Abana and Pharpar (Damascus), the Habor, the Chebar, and the Kidron.
- Rivers of Babylon: A place of exile for the Israelites, where they famously hung their harps and lamented their situation.
Metaphorical References:
- Living Water: John 7:38 speaks of rivers of living water flowing from those who believe in Jesus.
- God’s Presence: Psalm 46:4 describes a river whose streams make glad the city of God.
- Spiritual Nourishment: Ezekiel 47:9 and Revelation 22:1 describe a river of life flowing from God, symbolizing spiritual nourishment and blessing.
- Conduits or Watercourses: Some verses use the term “river” to refer to conduits or watercourses for irrigation or other purposes.
- Symbolic of God’s Power: In Daniel 7:10, a river of fire is part of a prophetic vision, potentially symbolizing God’s power and judgment.
The point is, make a Summer Vacation Bible Study plan NOW. At the end of the summer you’ll be able to tell others what you did on your summer vacation – you grew in your knowledge of God and His creation. You grew in grace. You traveled to places you’d never been before, seen things you’d never seen before, heard things you’d never heard before, learned things you’d never known before, and discovered things you’d never thought of before.
That’s my hope for this summer, that you and I will have stories to tell about how we spent our summer vacation with God— yes, exploring His creation and yes, resting from our labors. But also, and maybe more importantly, allowing God to cultivate a harvest of righteousness to His glory.
So, what have you got planned for your summer vacation –Bible study?
