Yes, taking a walk or riding a bike is good for your health but if you are only walking or riding a bike to aid your well-being, if you’re not enjoying these acts of being in and of themselves, you are missing out on the best part. To behold Jesus, to hear his words, and attend to his actions in the gospels are enough. It does not need to lead to anything “practical.” Loitering with the person of Jesus is beneficial all by itself. The contemplation of God and of humanity in the person of Jesus Christ is good for you and for the world. All may not be well in the spaces where these questions emerge. We need to interrogate this disposition and these questions. In the church we are in the habit of asking, “What difference does this make for me on Monday morning?” or “How can I make use of this in my day-to-day life?” The leaves of this Japanese maple in our front drive are not “useful” to me but I love beholding them.
