Our recreation should not displace our families or our work, and certainly not our worship. We can, however, pursue our recreation with joy, understanding that God has given it to us for our health and wellbeing. And, whether it is fishing, exercising, or some other sport or craft, how we engage it reflects on our Christian life.

Many Christians do not enjoy rest and recreation because they cannot. A host of factors contribute to this. For some, material excesses force them to work nonstop to pay the bills. For others, an overdone drivenness pushes them to work too much—compromising their health, family, and spiritual lives.

Still others, seeking to raise perfect children, shuttle their kids to and from sports leagues, practices, lessons, etc., disrupting norms of family life. Ultimately parents are most responsible for stewarding their children’s hearts, not their batting averages, violin proficiency, or GPA.

In light of this, how can we enjoy our recreation to the glory of God? How does the gospel affect our recreation? Consider the following four ways.

Recreate for the Glory of God

First, let’s reflect on these Scriptural charges:

• “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3:17).
• “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).

As John Piper argues, we glorify God through our recreation by making him an explicit part of it. Piper observes:

“Therefore, as we pursue our recreation, let’s pursue it to the glory of God. Since God wills recreation, he also wills to be in on it.

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