“Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. I am the Vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing”

— John 15:4-5

This is a weekly reflection on the previous week’s sermon text. Each week there will be a devotional related to the scripture for the week, along with questions for reflection/discussion, as well as prayer. Feel free to make this a part of your individual spiritual growth throughout the week or utilize in small group settings (growth groups, Sunday school, etc.)

Theology of Play

I like what Frederick Buechner wrote in his book “Whistling in the Dark” regarding play and its connection to God and spirituality:

“When King David’s wife berates him for making a fool of himself by leaping and dancing before the ark of the Lord with all his might, he protests by saying that it seemed exactly the right thing to do considering all the Lord had done for him. ‘Therefore, will I play before the Lord,’ he tells her (2 Samuel 6:14-21).”

“When God describes how he will rescue Jerusalem from his wrath and make it new again, ‘a city of Ruth’ (Zechariah 8:3), he conveys the glory of it by saying, ‘And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets’ (Zechariah 8:5).”

“When the Psalmist praises God for creating ‘this great and wide sea, wherein are creeping things innumerable,’ he makes special mention of Leviathan, ‘whom,’ as he says, ‘thou hast made to play therein’ (Psalm 104:25-26).”

“The king, the boys and girls, the whale – they are none of them accomplishing anything. They are none of them providing anything. There’s nothing edifying or educational or particularly helpful in what they are doing, nothing that you’d be likely to think of as religious. They haven’t a thought in their heads. They are just playing, that’s all. They are letting themselves go and having a marvelous time at it.”

“David has sweat pouring down his face and his eyes aflame. The boys and girls are spinning like tops. The whale has just shot a thirty-foot sprout into the air and is getting ready to heave his entire one hundred and fifty tons into the air. What is the wind doing in the hayfield? What is Victoria Falls up to, or the surf along the coast of Maine? What about the fire going wild in the belly of the stove, or the rain pounding on the roof like the Hallelujah Chorus, or the violet on the windowsill leaning toward the sun?”

“What, for that matter, is God up to, getting the whole thing started in the first place? Hurling the stars around like rice at a wedding, gathering the waters together into the seas like a woman gathering shells, calling forth the creatures of earth and air like a man calling Swing Your Partner at a hoedown.” ’Be fruitful and multiply!’ God calls, and Creator and creature both all but lose track of which is which in the wonder of their playing.”

Prayer:

Loving, playful God, we give you thanks this day for the gift of play and joy. Free us to play and experience great joy in Christ. Amen.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION:

Remember your childhood and how you played. What sticks out the most?
How do you play today? When do you lose track of time and feel completely present in the moment?
How does nature provide evidence of a God who continues to create and play?

**The Vine Devotional will be going on break for the month of July. We will be back in August!**

printer version