Thankful for Fun with Faith, While Fishing with Family and Friends

Can Christians have fun? I know that many people who do not know God believe that Christians are not allowed to have fun - because they have to obey the Lord. Many think that God forbids so much, that Christians can never have fun. However, . . . I will suggest to you that CHRISTIANS HAVE THE BEST KIND OF FUN!

Please consider Paul’s God-inspired words from 1 Thessalonians 5. At the end of this letter the Holy Spirit leads the apostle to give instructions for the life of Christian faith. Some of those instructions read this way, “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) When people are “in Christ” they know that God loves them. When people are “in Christ” they know His forgives, because of the cross of Jesus. When people are “in Christ” they know their sure future, because Jesus rose and offers eternal life to all who believe in Him as their Savior. With this knowledge and assurance God’s children can live rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks, as Paul calls Christians to do!

The last two days I confess that I had fun. The last two days I spent time with family and friends . . . FISHING! My friend, Pastor Paul Birner, called me in February about the time that Kathy and I visited Alaska friends, Fred and Kelly Vasilie, in Bradenton, FL. Some call me a fishing fanatic. But they have not met Fred. I’m not sure that Fred enjoys anything more than taking his family and friends fishing. And, Fred has a NICE halibut boat. So, Paul and Fred and I got out our calendars in February and we chose June 17 and 18 to fish for halibut. I also knew that my daughter, Mary wanted to go. She’ll almost always fish with her dad, even if he picks on her . . . a little. And Mary has a special place in her heart for Fred. Later we invited others, and grand-daughter, Emma, also came with us fishing.

Consider our trip. God calls on us to love one another. Fathers are to love their children. Children are to love their parents. We are to love our neighbors and friends. What better way to love one another than to spend time together, enjoying each other’s company, outdoors, in the beauty of God’s creation?!

God also calls us to love and worship Him in response to His grace and love for us. When floating on a calm ocean, with snow capped mountains in the background, watching otters, and puffins, and catching fish, it is only natural to thank our Lord for His gifts and His bounty in nature.

In addition, when Christians gather together, as family and friends, in the beauty of the world around us, there is a calm that makes it easy to share with others. Christians can and do share hopes and dreams, hurts and frustrations. But, in such a beautiful setting, with other believers around, the care and encouragement comes quickly and easily.

According to Jesus, the two great commandments are “29 . . . "The most important is, 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.' 31 The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31) When a person experiences the beauty of God’s creation with other Christian friends and family, loving God and loving others flows freely.

So, during this time of ‘family, friends, and fishing’ I saw joy. During this time of family, friends, and fishing I joined in prayers which were said, on the water, at meal-time, in the morning, at bed-time. During this time of family, friends, and fishing we gave thanks for the goodness of God in the beauty around us. As people saved by Jesus this time of rejoicing, of prayer, of thanks, was special for family and friends as we lived our faith and had fun . . . fishing!

When was the last time you had fun as a child of God, as you rejoiced, as you prayed, and as you gave thanks with others for God’s blessings in your life?