What I do for re-creation

Ever since I wrote this I have gone to the beach many, many times. I go there for a run, or just to sit and watch the waves. When I am not there, I sometimes find myself wondering how the sea looks like right now. Is it calm or choppy? Is the sea a deep, vibrant blue, or a pale grey? Is it high tide, with the ocean spray beating upon the breakwaters forcefully, or low tide, with the rocky seabed exposed, as the waves billow in the distant?

Does this count as recreation, to people a short plane ride away, but whose lifestyles seem a world apart from mine?

Yesterday I re-read Amy Carmichael's book, "God's Missionary". I won't summarise its contents, some of which could actually give offence, if taken out of context. Carmichael writes of how missionaries should seek recreation in the right way, with the right company, preferably with the local people, and most ideally of all, with Jesus.

"Some have proved that the exercise taken in the walk to the village for the evening preaching has been none the less recreative because we had the Lord for our Companion and we were out on His business; and we have found it true that, while we communed together, Jesus Himself drew near and went with us, and made our hearts burn within us while He talked with us by the way. What better recreation than the re-creating of the holy fire? The glow if it makes one strong!"

I really like the way she breaks the word "recreation" into two, "re-creating". It seems to so accurately express the purpose of recreation as God intends - to rest in a manner that "re-creates" His divine joy and energies in us, giving us new strength to go forth again in His service. 

"We are variously made. What rests one person wearies another. The great thing is to find what rests us most, what sends us back to our work most truly strengthened and refreshed in body, soul and spirit...Let us be honest in the determination that we will not sacrifice the spiritual to anything whatever!"  

So anything we do that refreshes and strengthens us to pour ourselves out more fully for God and others is true recreation. I am not embarrassed that often, all that I need is to just go to the "same" beach to look at the sea.

Conversely, activities no matter how "interesting" or "novel" that drain our spiritual vitality, leave us distracted, harassed, less centered in God, less conscious of His presence isn't needful, and is even destructive. 

Just a few moments ago, while browsing news headlines on Google News, I came across this report which outlined the activities that Singaporeans spend the most money on. To no one's surprise I suppose, it was dining and entertainment. 

I think it is possible to wine and dine and seek entertainment purposefully and restfully. But I do wonder if God has higher forms of true recreation for you and I that we don't yet know about?

"May God search us, and try us, and show us if we are living on lower levels than He intends for us - living in the shallows when He meant for us to dwell deep in the heart of eternal love."

May the new year be a discovery of true recreation that re-creates His dynamism and passion in us.