[This reflection by Martin Shorey was published in the weekly news bulletin of Horley Baptist Church, 19/Jul/2026]
As you read this, our family will (hopefully!) have just arrived in Spain for a couple of weeks’ holiday. After what has been a busy few months at church, we’re looking forward to some sunshine, some family time, and perhaps even a chance to switch off for a while.
It got me thinking about holidays themselves.
Today, we think of a holiday as a chance to escape the routine – to rest, recharge, and enjoy ourselves. But the word holiday actually comes from the Old English words holy day. Originally, these were days set apart from ordinary life. They were times to stop working, to worship, to celebrate God’s goodness, and to remember what really mattered.
In the Middle Ages, people would even set off on pilgrimages to places such as Canterbury or Walsingham. These journeys weren’t holidays in the modern sense. They were opportunities to step away from everyday life, to pray, to reflect, and to seek God afresh. The destination mattered, but perhaps even more important was the act of intentionally making space for God.
I wonder whether we’ve lost something of that today.
Don’t get me wrong – I think holidays are a wonderful gift. God knows we need rest. Even Jesus said to his disciples, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest” (Mark 6:31). There is nothing unspiritual about enjoying a walk on the beach, a good book, or spending time with family.
But while we often plan time away to rest our bodies, how often do we plan time away to refresh our souls?
For many of us, life is noisy. There is always another job to do, another email to answer, another programme to watch, another notification demanding our attention. Even on holiday, we can find it hard to slow down.
Perhaps this summer, alongside whatever plans you have, you might also make space for a holy day. It doesn’t have to involve travelling hundreds of miles or staying in a retreat centre. It could simply mean taking an hour with your Bible in the garden, going for a prayer walk, sitting quietly in a church, or finding somewhere peaceful to listen for God’s voice.
As I enjoy a break with my family over the next couple of weeks, that’s something I’ll be trying to remember too. Holidays are a gift – but perhaps the greatest gift is allowing God to restore not just our bodies, but our souls.
After all, that’s what a holy day was always meant to do.
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Contributed by Martin Shorey; © Martin Shorey