Big Sky’s summer camp season wrapped up several weeks ago and the staff have since been recovering! Hence, the reason no blogs have appeared for a few weeks. It was a great summer, indeed, and we as a staff would like to thank each parent for entrusting your child to us and each camper for joining us at camp and contributing to a great summer. I would like to take this opportunity to issue a challenge to those who attended summer camp this summer. Parents, next week it will be your turn!
The challenge is threefold:
1) Get your nose in God’s Word
For those of you who have read C.S. Lewis’ The Silver Chair, you may remember that Jill Pole was given four signs by Aslan that would guide her and Eustace in their journey to find Prince Rilian. She was to repeat these signs to herself so that she would not forget them. Aslan even warned her that it would be easy to remember the signs on the mountaintop where the air is clear, but her mind would become muddled when she set foot on the ground and it would be hard to remember them. As Aslan had warned, Jill quickly forgets the signs as her and Eustace begin their journey and they encounter many hardships, which could have been avoided, had she remembered Aslan’s signs.
Camp is a great place for many reasons, but particularly because the air is clear and it is easy to spend time in God’s Word when everyone else is doing that as well. Even the staff comment on this frequently. As we often have to remind ourselves, though, camp is not real life. For many of you, real life involves being around no one who reads the Bible or spends any time in it at all. It is my hope and prayer that you do not forsake reading the Bible. I hope this because in the Bible are found the words of life and it has to be your guide for life on this earth. Otherwise, you are like Eustace and Jill wandering through dangerous country without any guide. When Jesus asked the twelve disciples if they would like to turn away as the rest had in John 6:67-68, Peter replies for the group, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life…” This leads me to my second point.
2) Remember where life is found
True life is not found in sports, relationships, drugs or anything of the sort. In fact, true life is not found in anything that will pass away if this world were to end right now. True life is found through the gospel of Jesus Christ explained in the Bible. True life is understanding that this world promises happiness and delivers heartache. For those of you struggling with depression, broken family situations, rejection, etc., you are in a good place in that you have realized the emptiness of this world. Now you have to realize the fullness of life offered by Jesus. At camp, it is easy to remember this because that is where the focus is. Smart phones are put away, TV is nowhere to be found and the focus is on Jesus’ offer of abundant life found in a relationship with Him.
3) Take a friend inventory
Ask any adult who had the most influence in their lives growing up and for most, it would be their friends. That is definitely the case for me. Growing up, I had friends who encouraged and challenged me in my faith and those who dragged me down and did stupid things that I chose to join in on. 1 Corinthians 15:33 states, “do not be misled: ‘bad company corrupts good character.’” Whom you choose for your friends is probably one of the top three decisions you will make that affects your faith positively or negatively. You say that if you got rid of friends who were bad influences, you will not have any left. This could be true, but it is still what Jesus asks of us because He knows how important this is. Pray to God that He would give you friends who know Him, love Him and desire to obey His Word in your life. Where are your friends leading you – it is one of either two directions, away from God or toward God. If you continue to spend time with those heading away from God, where will you end up?