One of the most common things we hear from campers is that they love coming to camp and getting that Camp High. It seems to get all of us through the year, just in time to come back again. Camp is a mountaintop experience that we have grown to love, expect and need.
When we go to the canyon for those two magical weeks, we can count on God moving in our hearts. We can count on relationships that are real. We can count on transformation. But what does that mean for the other 50 weeks of the year?
That is a question I ask myself all of the time. How can we bring the Camp High into our lives back home and what could that look like? This brought me to a passage in Isaiah,
But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.
– Isaiah 40:31
In most areas of life, we think of starting slow, taking it easy, and working our way up. But in this passage, Isaiah suggests the opposite of that for our faith. We start soaring, then we run, and finally, we’ll walk with the Lord. This actually is great news for the Camp High. We leave camp soaring, and as we settle into life at home the goal is not to try keep on soaring, but to eventually be walking with the Lord.
How do we do that? Good question! The beauty and the challenge is that it is difficult for everyone; however, there are some good places to start. Reading God’s Word, the Bible, is essential for walking with Him. The Bible is the story of God and it is how we find out about Him, and how do you walk with someone you don’t know? Other things that will help are going to church, joining a youth group or ministry and having a mentor. We are not meant to do this alone. Actually, it is the exact opposite.
In Ecclesiastes, Solomon writes about the way we should relate to each other. This passage is often used to talk about marriage, but it is also talking about friendship. He says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).
Yes, we all miss camp. Most of us are already counting the days until next summer. (It’s 245 for those of you who are wondering.) So what can we do in the meantime? First, enjoy soaring as long as you can… let the Camp High linger! Then run, and before you know it, you could be walking with the Lord, which is actually the sweetest place of all!
Comment on our Facebook Page
