Dr. Cynthia Rigby was one of my theology professors at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, and she was one of my most significant influences from those years. On more than one occasion, I remember her saying something wise about play, rest, and renewal — something I still think about often. I’m paraphrasing here, so this isn’t an exact quote, but it’s close to her point. She said:
“So often we imagine play, rest, renewal, and Sabbath as recreation — time away from the rat race, a chance to step out of it for a while so we can rest up and then jump back in a little more rejuvenated. But… what if play, rest, renewal, and Sabbath are actually re-creation? What if we engage them in such a way that they actually change us and the rat race itself?”
That’s really wise. I want that re-creation. I imagine we all do.
There are times when we step away from our typical rhythms and something in us is re-created — with new hopes, new commitments to healthier patterns, and new priorities (or the ones we’ve always had but left untended).
Re-creation is possible for us.
Smuggling Grace 