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"Free time" is time available for activities we enjoy,
such as hobbies.
These are things we do for recreation.
What Is Recreation?
We think of recreation as a leisure activity like playing
a game or going to the movies. But it's much more than
that.
There are two different words spelled "recreation."
One means to create anew, and the other means
to refresh oneself.
Both words are similar, because when we refresh ourselves,
we remake ourselves. For example, after we recreate,
we're not tired and burned out as before -- we're refreshed,
restored, like new again.
You see, the word "recreation" that's used relating
regarding leisure activities, originally meant restoration
and recovery, and was equivalent to recreate (make new).
So to rec-re-ate, is to re-cre-ate ourselves.
We Should Want To Worship During Free Time
When we assemble and worship, we are refreshed. We are
stimulated to love and good deeds, and built up in the
most holy faith (Heb. 10:24; Jude 1:20).
For example, the refreshing we receive when we worship
is reflected in the song we sing, titled, "Revive Us
Again."
I don't advocate viewing worship as recreation, as
the word is used today.
But, since worship refreshes us even more so than
activities such as golf and movies, we should desire
the refreshment of worship more than refreshment of
secular activities.
One way of looking at it, using an archaic meaning
of the word recreate, is that we view worship as the
most recreational (refreshing, restoring, renewing)
activity of life.
Therefore, we desire to worship God more than secular
activities we consider recreational.
We Should Want To. . . .
Besides assembling with the saints for worship, there
are other spiritual activities we should desire more
than recreation.
Bible study, prayer, singing, and doing personal work
refresh us more than recreational activities.
But, when we think about doing something fun and relaxing,
do we think about spiritual things, or just secular
things?
Do we think about having friends over to sing and
pray and study on Friday night, knowing we'll have fun
and be encouraged and be refreshed, more than going
out to eat?
Or have we deceived ourselves into thinking worship
is something we do out of duty, and not something we
do because we want to do?
Have we deceived ourselves into thinking worship is
not enjoyable or refreshing, and only do worldly things
to relax?
Attitude
Let me suggest this attitude.
Spiritual activities are more refreshing than secular
activities.
Therefore, we should want to spend more free time
with spiritual activities, than secular activities such
as going to movies and watching TV and surfing the Internet.
Spiritual Recreation
Now, if you'll allow a little play on words to make
a point, I'd like to talk about spiritual recreation.
God says:
- "And do not be conformed to this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind . . ."
(Rom. 12:2).
- "and have put on the new self who is being renewed
to a true knowledge according to the image of
the One who created him" (Col. 3:10).
We are to renew ourselves to a true knowledge through
God's word. In other words, we are to re-cre-ate ourselves
with God's word -- this is spiritual rec-re-a-tion.
The Main Point
As Christians, we have a greater desire for spiritual
recreation than the things of the world.
We think worship and spiritual activities are the
most enjoyable, relaxing, and refreshing things in life,
more so than secular activity.
We'd rather spend a relaxing evening with Christians,
singing and praying and studying, than watching a movie
at a theater with unbelievers while exposing ourselves
to a sinful environment.
Sure, it's great to enjoy the physical things of God's
creation, but do you enjoy spiritual things more?
Now ask yourself, "Do I think this way about my free
time, and do my choices reflect this attitude?"
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