Showing posts with label camp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label camp. Show all posts

Saturday, May 8, 2021

She Washed His Feet With Her Tears

Luke 7:44-47
Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”

Washing another person’s feet is a humbling experience.

At church camp, the counselors and teachers taught us to experience the times that Jesus lived. In Jesus day, folks wore sandals or walked barefoot on the dusty roads. They didn’t wear the latest model of tennis shoes or work boots. As a greeting and welcome to visitors, the host provided water and washed the feet of their guests.

Our camp teacher paired us up, and we removed each other’s shoes and rinsed each other’s feet. I’ll admit as a teenager I thought it a bit weird, but the act increased my understanding of the ancient times.

When a Pharisee invited Jesus to dinner, he failed to provide water for Jesus’ feet. Jesus never complained or questioned, but when the woman who stood in the shadows approached him, he welcomed her. She bowed before him and cleansed his feet with her tears. The tears may have been carried in a jar where she collected them, or she may have cried over him. Either way, she humbled herself before Jesus and as an act of worship poured perfume over his feet.

The most beautiful part of the story is Jesus’ offer of forgiveness. Because the woman humbled herself and believed in Jesus as Savior, he forgave her sins on the spot. She walked away free of the burden of her past into a life of gratitude and love.

She loved much, because she was forgiven of much.

Jesus arms are open to invite you in. He loves us so much and wants nothing more than for us to believe and live for him.

Be the person who loves much.

Saturday, July 4, 2020

Trusting a Swing

Psalm 9:9-10
The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,
    a stronghold in times of trouble.
Those who know your name trust in you,
    for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

God has called me on an adventure of faith and trust.

When Hannah worked at Camp Lookup, I spent a week with her exploring the beautiful setting and experiencing an adventure. I hiked around the lake, met a little snake while I relaxed in the gazebo, and took photos of all the beautiful azaleas. Then the adventure happened. The camp has this huge swing that holds two people. Hannah and I climbed on the double seat and latched our harnesses (that's enough to scare a person.) A camp worker grabbed the rope and launched us into the sky. And yes, I screamed like a baby. But I had fun and trusted the swing to hold in place. As we sailed through the air, I believed I would be safely pulled back to the ground.

In Hebrews 11:1 the writer tells us, "faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." Hannah had assured me the swing was safe or they couldn't use it for campers. Made sense. If I could trust something so simple as a swing, how could I not trust the God of the universe. 

The "hall of faith" in Chapter 11 lists many Old Testament warriors who had faith in God, even as they lived in uncertainty.
We are living in chaotic times. Anger, hate, and judgment mixed with opinions, sickness, and financial burdens cause faith to slip. Trust rings hollow. Yet, God remains the same. He's still there for me to depend on. He's still there for me to run to. I'm confident in the hope I have in Jesus. I trust him to see me through the hard times and celebrate with me in the great times. God hasn't gone anywhere. He's still my refuge.

Have faith in the one who loves you more than you know.

Saturday, June 27, 2020

Splashed with Joy

Psalm 28:6-7
Praise be to the Lord,
    for he has heard my cry for mercy.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
    my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
    and with my song I praise him.

I have the joy, joy, joy...down in my heart.

I remember singing that chorus at church camp, my favorite place in the summers of my youth. Surrounded by friends who believed in Jesus, exploring nature, meeting together at the campfire to sing and pray, filled our souls with joy. Not happiness—but pure joy, the deep satisfying feeling that everything is going to be okay. And it bubbled over. The joy I discovered overflowed and tumbled onto other people. And their joy splashed all over me. When I came home, the delight I tucked into my heart carried me through my days. No matter what happened at school, or wherever I was, Jesus' joy bubbled. 

As an adult, I'm more conscientious of the joy I find in Jesus. Sometimes rejoicing is a struggle. On those days, I tap into his word and cry out in prayer to reassure myself everything will be okay. It's hard to experience joy when the world is so out of whack. But Jesus always comes through. As I trust in him for wisdom and mercy, he splashes me with joy. I love Jesus and he loves me back. I sing that same little chorus today that I sang at camp. I have Jesus' joy down in my heart, and I praise him because that joy carries me through the hard stuff, the frustrating things, the opinions, the anger, and the unkindness we are seeing in the world.

Even on days when my joy is more like a grain of sand that a solid rock, I'm thankful I have a glimmer of hope.

Let the joy of Jesus overflow like a fountain of love.