Big congratulations to Amanda and Devon on the birth of their new bundle of joy: Micah David, born March 25th!
For those of you who don’t know, Amanda has been the camp office administrator for the last 4 years and only recently went on maternity leave. Devon is the creative force behind our website as well as many of our cool t-shirt designs!
Hey! It’s the day after Easter Sunday so I thought I’d chat a little bit about…the days after the original Easter!
You know those one page newsletters you can pick up at fast food joints and coffee shops called “Coffee News”? Well I picked up a copy the other day and read a short article titled “Devotion”. This is what it said:
Basanta Roy is 103 and has mourned the loss of his wife ever since she died in the 1990s. He was so devoted to her that he has spent six years lying in a grave that he dug for himself, right next to her grave. His commitment has become a tourist attraction in his remote village in India. When he isn’t lying inside the grave, he pulls weeds and grass from around the site. “He cleans his grave every day and waits for his death, which seems to be eluding him,” said Shyam Narayan Ram, a senior government official from Jharkhand.
Do you remember at camp, hearing about how Jesus died and then defeat death and was alive again after 3 days of being in a tomb? Well shortly after Jesus arose, we are told in the Bible about some followers of Jesus, walking down a road to Emmaus. Here’s the story (read Luke 24 for the exact story): As the two followers of Jesus were walking along, Jesus started walking with them, but they didn’t recognize them. When he asked them what they were talking about they answered that they were talking about Jesus of Nazareth and the events that had happened over the past few days. It doesn’t record it like this in the Bible, but I can just hear them in their heads thinking, “Where have you even been these past few days? With your head under a rock? Who doesn’t even know what’s been going on? Clearly, this guy’s a foreigner.” And then they explained that when some women went to visit Jesus’ tomb, Jesus was gone and an angel told them that he was alive. But when some of the others went to see the tomb, they did not see Jesus. Then Jesus (whom they still didn’t recognize) said, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” (v.25-26). Then Jesus explained what the Old Testament had to say about himself. When they got to the village the two followers asked Jesus to stay with them for the evening. When they had sat down to eat together that evening, they finally recognized Jesus and then they returned to Jerusalem to tell Jesus’ disciples that they had seen Jesus alive! Then Jesus was standing there with them and they were frightened and thought they were seeing a ghost (there seemed to still be some lingering doubt). So then Jesus again explains that he is not a ghost but alive and he has fulfilled what the Old Testament had said was going to happen: “The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” (v.46-47).
This man from India, Basanta Roy, is living his life to die. He has spent every waking moment mourning the loss of his wife for at least a decade! Right before Jesus left the earth, he gave the surrounding disciples the command to go out into the world, and spread the Good News that he is alive, that he conquered death for the forgiveness of everyone’s sins! When he was taken into up into heaven, the people stood around, staring intently up into the sky when two men in white stood beside them urging them to get a move on with what Jesus had commanded them…to spread the Good News of Christ risen! Do you know in your heart that Christ is risen? That he died for your sins, became alive after 3 days so that you might live eternally with him? If you do know this, how are you living your life? Are you idly staring into the sky wondering where Jesus went? Are you coasting through life, until you die? Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10b).
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20
There is a man in the Bible who has an entire book named after him. His name is Job and he has quite the story. The story is set thousands of years ago, so I thought I’d try to describe it as if it happened today.
Job was an incredibly lucky man. He had a beautiful wife, he was successful in his job, and he did a lot of work for charity, was a leader in the community, and managed to be really involved in his church. He was pretty much the golden boy of his town. He loved God very deeply. Of course, if anyone had life as easy as Job, it would be easy to love God so much.
One day, disaster struck. When Job woke up, his body was covered in painful sores. Job’s house caught on fire, and was burned to the ground. The company he worked for suddenly went bankrupt and he was out of a job. He received a call that while his children were vacationing at their beach house, a tornado hit and they were swept out to sea and drowned. Children would walk by, point and laugh at Job because of his terrible state. Job was a very broken man: a glowing life, very quickly turned tragic.
What would you do in this situation? What would I do? I would go to my spouse and friends, which Job did. Job’s wife however, did not encourage him at all. She told him that God was probably punishing him because of something bad he did. Job then sat down with a few of his friends, discussing what happened. His friends too, tried to figure out what Job had done wrong to receive this punishment from God. Amazingly enough, Job holds tightly onto the hope that he has in God. In Job 19:25-27, Job replies,
“I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”
The word, Redeemer here can be defined as “one who saves, and defends”. I have trouble imagining that after so much hurt, and pain, and after my friends have been so discouraging that I would be able to lift my eyes up to God and still acknowledge Him as my Redeemer. But Job does. Through the darkness that is Job’s life, he knows that God is there with him and he yearns for God.
There are times in life that all of us will have to go through that are going to be difficult and dark. There are definitely times when we will not be able to feel God’s presence or see that He is working in our lives. But even if we can’t see or feel God, we need to know that God is very real and that He lives, and that He will save us and come to our defense. Maybe not immediately, but definitely in God’s timing. And when we look back, we will be able to see where God was in the midst of it all.
By the way, if you are curious to know what happens at the end of Job’s story, God blessed Job for his faithfulness. Whatever wealth and happiness Job had before, God doubled. God is faithful to us, and we in turn need to be faithful to God.
“I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted. You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my counsel without knowledge?’ Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know. You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.’ My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you.” Job 42:2-5
Hey! We’re going to have a camp booth set up with other camps at different malls around the city. If we’re in your area, make sure you drop by, pick up a brochure and say hi! Here are the dates:
March 7-9: Garden City Mall
March 27-30: St.Vital Shopping Centre
April 4-5: Kildonan Place
April 6: Family Fun Fair
Something I like to do is look at houses. When I was in college, and even now, I loved going to my friends’ homes. I liked meeting their families and seeing what kind of house they lived in. House tours are my favorite. Anyway usually in about every third house I go to, I can count on there being some lovely embroidered thing or a painted plaque that bears the quote, “Home is Where the Heart is”. Along with the quote are usually pink hearts and a picture of a cottage. I’ve called a lot of different places “home” over the years. Sometimes people would ask me, “Where’s home?” or “Where are you from?” My answer would sometimes go like this: “Well, right now, at this moment, I’m from here. I’m from Stillwood. This is my home. But, last year and in the fall, I’ll be living in Abbotsford, so that’s my home too. My permanent address though, is in Burnaby. And that’s where I call home.” It got even more complicated when I moved out to Manitoba because I started calling two different provinces home. Home is where the heart is…yep, I’m pretty sure that I’ve left pieces of my heart in all those places I called home.
My heart though, really, is in Heaven. I cannot wait to go to Heaven. I was just reading the end of the book of Revelation and it’s absolutely amazing. In a previous devotion I talked about how sometimes we try and try, but the words that we use just can’t seem to “paint” a full enough picture of what we see. In Revelation, the author John sees a vision of Heaven and describes in detail what he sees; there are streets of pure gold as clear as glass, and gates each made up of a single pearl (Revelation 21:21). I love this description though:
“Now God’s presence is with people, and he will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death, sadness, crying or pain, because all the old ways are gone.” Revelation 21:3b-4
I mean, isn’t that absolutely amazing? It just makes me long for Heaven. Sometimes when I see pain and suffering, all I want to do is be in Heaven where those hurts will no longer exist. But then I remember that God has me here on earth so that I can share with more people about the joys that are found in God and that I need to do all that I can to share God’s amazing love so that more people can experience eternity in Heaven with God. Yeah, my heart is in Heaven and I can hardly wait to get there. Where is your heart and where do you long to be?
“But store your treasures in heaven where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust and where thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will be where your treasure is.” Matthew 6:21
Hey everyone! Here are the dates and places that I’ll be at on my tour of the prairies. If you’re around, make sure you drop in and say hi.
Briercrest Bible College (Caronport, SK): January 20-22
Bethany College (Hepburn, SK): January 24
Providence College (Otterburne, MB): January 30
Canadian Mennonite University (Winnipeg, MB): January 31
Mission Fest (Grant Memorial, Winnipeg): February 1-3
Steinbach Bible College (Steinbach, MB): February 7
I’ve just returned from a wet and green BC to a cold and white Manitoba and I am excited about the new year! The brochures for Summer 2008 have recently rolled off the printing press and that ink smell is just permeating my office! The theme for this year is Treasure Quest. The theme verse is found in Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Starting next week I’ll be out and about armed with the brochures for this summer and for the discipleship program, Eikona, that will be launching this coming Fall! I’ll be at Briercrest in Caronport, SK and then at Bethany in Hepburn, SK all next week. Following that I’ll be doing a day here and there at colleges in southern Manitoba, specifically Providence (Otterburne), CMU (Winnipeg), and SBC/SCHS (Steinbach). If you’re around on the weekend of Feb.1-3, make sure you drop by the BRBC booth at Mission Fest which will once again be at Grant Memorial Baptist Church. Hope to see you around in 2008!
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope that you are able to find a moment in your busy schedules to reflect on the beauty of the season- that is the birth of God’s Son, Jesus Christ! I thought I’d take a moment to share more about why I call Jesus my Friend.
Last year in November Chuck, Jenny-Lynn, Sarah and I had opportunity to attend half a week in Quebec at a camping conference. It was a really cool time that we had meeting other people who were also working at camps just like ours. I feel like I got a lot out of the seminars that I went to. Most of the seminars were led by folks who also work at summer camps. It was really cool talking to these people and hearing from them because I knew they understood where I was coming from and they understood the situations that we sometimes find ourselves in at camp. I have been to seminars and classes where the teacher has limited experience in the topic that’s being taught and what they are able to share with us is taken from one experience or from books that they have read. The best classes that I have been to were taught by people who have already walked the same path that I am walking in their experiences. If I ask a question, I know that their answers will be helpful because they know what I’m talking about. They know because they have experienced something very similar to what I will or what I have experienced. They know the frustrations, and the joys of what I’m doing in my job.
Going to Jesus Christ in prayer is the same thing for me. I know that He really understands, not just because He knows everything but because He’s been on earth, He’s experienced pain, sorrow, gladness, and joy. The great thing about being friends with Jesus, is that He’s not some distant God, who’s cruising around the Universe, watching us distantly from the comforts of Heaven. It’s hard for me to wrap my head around what an amazing sacrifice it was for God to come to earth as a man. In Philippians 2:6-8, it talks about what Jesus did:
“Christ himself was like God in everything. But he did not think that being equal with God was something to be used for his own benefit. But he gave up his place with God and made himself nothing. He was born to be a man and became like a servant. And when he was living as a man, he humbled himself and was fully obedient to God, even when that caused his death—death on a cross.”
Of course it doesn’t end like that and the verses go on to talk about how Jesus Christ was raised to the highest place and that eventually everyone will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. But I want you to re-read that verse again: Jesus made himself nothing. He was born as a man and lived as a man and he died before being raised up again. If Jesus wanted to, He could have come to earth and decided that He was going to just “appear” to look like man, be born into great wealth, and not have to fuss with the emotions that all people go through. But he didn’t. Jesus was born pretty much in a barn, the son of a working man. Jesus wept when his friends died (John 11:35), He was hungry (Luke 4:2), and He got angry (Mark 11:15-17). Jesus also went to parties (John 2:1-2) and loved being around children (Matthew 19:14). Isn’t there so much comfort in knowing that Jesus Christ really, truly understands what we go through every day? And then He commands us to “give all your worries to him, because he cares about you.” (1 Peter 5:7). Wow. What more could you ask for in a friend?
In the summer, we all know that the bugs are out in abundance. As darkness falls, it is amazing to watch how these bugs will flock to the light. When I go to the back of the dining hall, and the motion-triggered light turns on, it only takes seconds for that back door to be layered in bugs. Look up at one of the lights, and moths fly around, drawn to the light given.
I’m like that too. When I’m driving in the darkness, there’s no better feeling than driving up to a house with that’s lit up. When it’s been dark and cloudy outside, it’s a wonderful feeling when the sun breaks out and lights up everything. And it’s the same with people. I find myself immediately drawn to “sunny, bright” personalities.
When you become a Christian, there is a change that happens. The Bible describes it as going from living in darkness to living in light. What does it mean to go from living in darkness to living in light? Well, now that you know God and about His amazing love for you, your eyes are open to seeing God in your life! Before, you were seeing everything in shadows, but now there’s a bright light that helps you to see everything: the truth about God’s incredible love!
You will be drawn to God because of the light that comes from Him and in turn, people will be drawn to you because of the light that shines through you from Christ.
“But you are a chosen people, royal priests, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession. You were chosen to tell about the wonderful acts of God, who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9
“This makes us more sure about the message the prophets gave. It is good for you to follow closely what they said as you would follow a light shining in a dark place, until the day begins and the morning star rises in your heart.” 2 Peter 1:19
I’m going to admit something to you. I know a lot of you probably think that talk shows are “lame” and probably a waste of time, but I not-so-secretly like them. On one of my favorites there’s a segment where the host shows works of art that viewers have done of her and the DJ plays a song by Bread with a line that goes, “If a picture paints a thousand words, then why can’t I paint you?” It’s a very sweet song, but actually this song got me thinking a bit.
For thousands of years people have attempted to describe God. Words like “awesome, wonderful, fierce, great, big” are often used. That doesn’t give us an idea even of what God looks like. In Exodus 33, Moses asks God to show him His glory. So God says in verse 19-20,
“I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. But,” He said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
So Moses climbs into this cliff side and God covers Moses with His hand while He passes by so that Moses just sees the Lord’s back. But even in this experience, Moses walks away, face so radiant that people are afraid to approach him. In the book of Ezekiel, the author describes a vision he has of God. The opening sequence is quite overwhelming but he goes on to describe God like this in Ezekiel 1:27
“I saw that from what appeared to be his waist up he looked like glowing metal, as if full of fire, and that from there down he looked like fire; and brilliant light surrounded him. Like the appearance of a rainbow in the clouds on a rainy day, so was the radiance around him.”
Then in Revelation, John describes the vision he had of God and in Revelation 1:14-15 he says,
“His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like lazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters.”
Notice that the narrators in those verses use the words “like” and “as”: “like glowing metal”, “white as snow”. These comparisons actually fade in light of who God is and his holiness. God is so beyond greatness that trying to paint a picture of Him with words is like trying to recreate Buckingham Palace with only an ice cream bucket and some sand- it pales in comparison! Maybe try and take some time today to worship God and think about how really awesome He is.