Erica and I will remember 2025. True, we’ve barely crossed the halfway point, but what a year it’s been so far! With travel, health issues, school, and the deaths of a couple relatives, 2025 has been full.

Life can have two speeds. On the one hand, days might file past with a methodical rhythm. Responsibilities abound. Burdens dampen joy. Situations draw our eyes off Christ and demand all our energy. We face constant worship choices, often failing to honor God. We splash through the muddy puddles of life as we plod from one issue to the next. 

On the other hand, life flashes by with little time for thought. The focused driver misses much of the beautiful countryside. We rush from issue to issue, practicing a form of triage more often than we’d like to admit.

Then we come across passages like Ephesians 5:15-16, which says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” We’re already caught between contrary speeds of life. How do we live carefully while buckling under the sheer weight of responsibility as life rushes by? Leviticus 23 offers help. In ancient times God wisely planned annual events for the Israelites — events designed for rest and worship.  

So first, let’s talk about rest. God prohibits work during several of the yearly events in Leviticus 23. He emphasizes rest. That rest might be for a day, it might be longer. But the idea comes up repeatedly: God commands his people to rest during several of these annual feasts. Human beings are weak creatures who need breaks. God knows this. Do you? 

Second, let’s talk about worship. During the feasts, the Israelites are to present various offerings “to the LORD.” The people worshipped. The people feasted. These were not separate activities. The worship and feasting were scheduled, commanded, and combined — often with rest as well. Through the feasts God encouraged his people to recognize his goodness towards them as they enjoyed food he had provided. Surely God was encouraging introspection and evaluation, meditation on his care for them in the preceding months. Faith in his goodness during the months yet to come. 

Vacations can provide such moments for us today as well. The break from regular responsibilities allows us to turn around and consider the path we’ve taken. We can study the journey still ahead. Most importantly, we can evaluate both past and future before the God who is with us every step of the way. And of course, why not do all this evaluation over a steak dinner? 

A vacation can provide rest from regular life as we worship God for what he has done and will do. Some vacations don’t leave much room for rest. I get that. Yet life continues to move at two speeds, plodding and sprinting. Without stopping to rest and stepping back to worship every now and then, faithfulness to Christ becomes increasingly more difficult. Is it time for a feast?