Message summary: Today work heartily (yesterday's message) but also make time to experience, in one way or another, the enjoyment of recreation.

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"As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy" (1 Timothy 6:17).

Today I set out to write a message about how people had recreational time in the Bible. The Bible mentions running, wrestling, dancing (though usually referenced as a form of worship), and boxing which may have had a recreational aspect. However it's hard to imagine they didn't have other type of recreational activities. The Bible tells us all we need to know but certainly not all we want to know!

My inspiration for this theme was a result of observing the youth last week enjoying wholesome fun after a hard day's work. When we got back to the base camp each day they still had plenty of energy to play! There's an old saying, "All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" which means without time off from work, a person becomes both bored and boring.

The work areas were located down a mountain in a narrow gorge (thus the flooding) while the main base camp was about 16 miles up the mountain on a farm near Hendersonville, NC. For many months a gracious local farmer has allowed the rotating Amish youth groups to use a large barn which had once been used to store apples. Shortly after the storm the Amish made some 160 "tiny homes" in a work area in the barn to provide temporary housing for those who had lost their homes.

Around 6:45 each morning we began with singing, devotions and breakfast before heading down the mountain to the work camp. They had lunch in that area and then back up the mountain for dinner at 6, although some came much later, especially the masons, who had trouble getting the concrete deliveries on time over several days.

After dinner the base camp was abuzz with activity. They played volleyball, wiffleball, spikeball, sang around a campfire and one evening joined with a group of local bluegrass musicians. It seems they went on till after 10 pm and even later for some.

Surely the children in the Bible played, probably similar many of the same games we have today. And in one way or another all ages play. Although after childhood we probably don't say, "Let's go out and play"!

Most of us have many forms of recreation we may enjoy. Yesterday I spoke to Rick, a friend who shared that his 86 year old dad had visited and they played golf for three days in a row.

We both have enjoyed many types of recreation through life although due to age, physical condition and interest we have phased out of some such as playing tennis and cross country skiing.

Our recreational activity in recent years is mostly bike riding and we are working at pickle ball (though not too seriously), though we did buy the paddles, balls and net. Tending to her flowers in both the front, side, and back yard is essentially recreational to Brooksyne and, in my case, lawn care and small DIY projects are also recreational.

Today's Bible verse makes an interesting point. God richly provides us with everything to enjoy. Since the way we use recreation today is not in the context of our Scripture text we'll just have to ask Paul when we get to heaven if he also had recreational activity in mind when he wrote about the things God richly provides for us to enjoy (1 Timothy 6:17)!

Today work heartily (yesterday's message) but also make time to experience, in one way or another, the enjoyment of recreation.

B e encouraged today! Hebrews 3:13