Editor’s Note: We continue today with our look at this summer’s Day 3 curriculum of “Water of Life.” Wednesday’s Theme is “At the Well—Enough for Everyone.”
Prayer: Dear God, when other people complain about the rain, help us to give thanks and know that we need rainy days. We need you and your love on all days! In your name we pray, Amen. Reading: Hosea 6:1-3 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Sometimes at camp, the weather can really change the activities and the mood of everyone. There are a number of outside events that need dry weather. You might know the chant, “Rain, rain, go away. Come again another day.” Sometimes we don’t want it to be raining. We want to be out in the sunshine and doing things without getting wet. Remember, however, the times when it has not rained in a long time. When it does finally rain, it makes everything so much better. We need regular rain. The prophet Hosea described the coming of God like the spring rains—a welcome arrival of a good thing. Every living thing needs water. We might not always like it, but we need rain. We need God even more. Just like everyone doesn’t always like it when it rains, a lot of people don’t realize that they need God. We need to help others know that God loves them, and is good for them. God is good for everything that is alive. God makes us more alive and wet with goodness! --Andrew Fitch
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Prayer: When our souls are heavy and the night is long, be with us as we watch for the morning. In your Word there is hope. Amen
Reading: Psalm 130 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Sometimes when I wake up in the middle of the night and can't get back to sleep, I find myself wishing it were morning. Often it is hours away but eventually the sun will come up again. So I watch for the morning and most of the time I fall back to sleep. My saddest moment recently was in the hour before dawn, when the night seemed be at its darkest and so was the sorrow in my heart. There was no going back to sleep. As time went by I happened to look out an east window. I was not even watching for the morning and there I saw a glorious sunrise. With that I knew there was love and power to go on. When our souls are heavy and the dark time we are in seems long, as sure as the sun will rise in the morning, there is love and power for us to go on. So we watch for the morning and trust in the hope of God's Word. --Ruth Gates Prayer: Lord, help us to set our minds on the Spirit for life and peace. Amen
Reading: Romans 8: 6-11 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Ever notice that after doing a Google search for an item, advertisements for that item start popping up on your Facebook feed? I bought a hotplate on Amazon.com before Christmas and for days after that, everywhere I went on-line, there were hotplate ads. Actually, before I even made the purchase, amazon was telling me other people who bought that hot plate also bought this piece of cookware. So I did! It was not a useful pot at all. Not only did I fall for the marketing, I had to pay for the shipping back. What if what we set our minds on becomes what we see more of in the days after? What if what we set our minds on brings suggestions of other things to think about? Romans tells us when we set our minds on the Spirit, there is life and peace. With the Spirit in mind, put life and peace in your "shopping cart" and it will fill up with more of the same with no need to ship anything unwanted back. --Ruth Gates Prayer: Help us be connected to you, O Lord. Amen.
Reading: Ezekiel 37: 1-14 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: There is an old Spiritual song about "Dem Bones" that I grew up with and most would recognize. The foot bone connected to the ankle bone, the ankle bone connected to the shin bone, the shin bone connected to...and so on and so on. Dem bones, dem bones, dem...dry bones! There is another version of a Dem Bones song sung at Camp Mount Luther and it is fun just the same if not more. "Dem Bones Gonna Rise Again", however, is not about the story in Ezekiel which is our text for today. Instead, the verses of this song tell the story of Adam and Eve. Which now I wonder why I even brought it up except that I like it and the chorus is worth sharing here: I knowed it, knowed it. Indeed I knowed it, brother. I knowed it, weeeee! Dem Bones gonna rise again. Okay, it's better when you hear it and also sing, "Dem Bones gonna rise again" after every line in the verses. Oh, just come to camp and learn it. It will be fun. And your bones will rise again, weeeee! --Ruth Gates Prayer: When we make our needs known to you, God, help us to know that you will answer in your time. Amen.
Reading: John 11:1-45 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: This weekend, I had the great pleasure and incredible honor to be a groomsman at the wedding of one of my best friends. Our association is through camp and it was great to not only help him through his jitters this weekend but also to spend time with our mutual friends. Both he and I got married at age 35. We both were out on our own for a number of years before finding our future spouse. I know I can speak for myself that there were times when I wondered if I’d ever find that person. I’m sure he had the same thoughts. But we waited. We didn’t settle for the sake of getting married but waited until we found the right person. And, I think we both are glad we did, as we found the person we were meant to be with and our lives are better because we waited. Last week at the mid-week Lenten service at our church, we talked about the Lord’s Prayer and the fact that when we pray to God, God can answer us, “Yes,” or “No” or “Maybe Later.” In our story today, we are reminded how Lazarus’ family wanted Jesus to get right to it and show up and do something. But Jesus said no. He said to wait. He had bigger plans that he wanted to show the people. They were inpatient, but God knew what needed to happen. In our lives, it is hard to wait. We may pray for a mate, we may pray for healing, but often we feel our prayers are not being answered. Know that God’s time is not always our time. God may have bigger and better plans in store. We just need to trust God and wait and see what happens. It may be hard but the blessings may be even bigger. Wait for God. I bet you’ll be glad you did. –Chad Hershberger Editor’s Note: We continue today with our look at this summer’s Day 3 curriculum of “Water of Life.” Wednesday’s Theme is “At the Well—Enough for Everyone.”
Prayer: Dear God, thank you for your promise that one day we will be with you in Gloryland. Amen. Reading: Revelation 22: 1-2 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Sometimes when you read a part of the Bible, you have to just stop and breathe and take it all in. It is like going to an art museum or gallery—you have to take your time and look at the art from different angles and distances. Some artists draw little tiny things that you can only see if you get really close. Other artists use special brush strokes, so you have to step really far back to get the whole picture. Often projects from the craft lodge are like this, showing different talents and brush strokes of different children of God. This word picture from the book of Revelation also requires some imagination and thinking. I can’t think of anything that I have ever seen that is like this. I have seen really bright and clear water, but not flowing through the middle of the street. I have seen big trees, but not big enough to be growing on both sides of the water. I think heaven is awesome like our awesome God. It is big and bold, bright and shiny. It is wet with God’s love and goodness. I think the river that is flowing is like God’s overflowing love and forgiveness. There in Gloryland, all people can find healing and help. This is definitely a place I want to go to! --Andrew Fitch Prayer: Thank you for making us lie down in green pastures and restoring our souls. Amen
Reading: Psalm 23 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: I know someone who is not a very churchy person but observes a Sabbath day of rest more faithfully than most churchgoers I know. Don't ask him to leave the house or do anything on a Sunday. He would really rather not and mostly likely probably won't. Not optional. He just does it. After all the times I have read, heard, sung or recited Psalm 23, this time what struck me was the the word "makes". "He makes me lie down in green pastures." This place of rest and time of restoring of the soul is not optional. Just do it. Perhaps for you it can't always be Sunday. Maybe one week your day of rest is a Wednesday. Perhaps you can't take a whole day. Maybe your green pasture is actually 15 minutes in the hot tub. Whenever, wherever and whatever it is, think of it as the Lord making you lie down in green pastures. Our souls will be restored. Let's just do it. --Ruth Gates Occasionally, we will reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on November 5, 2013.
Prayer: We are eternally grateful, O Lord, for the gift you give us in light. Help us be that light as we walk with Christ. Amen. Reading: Ephesians 5: 8-14 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: As Christians, we need to stay in Christ's light and let our light shine before others. God created the light and led by light and is the light of life. We need to stay in God's light and be a light to our fellow man, spreading the Word of God. Sometimes it may be hard, but it is an important task that we should all take seriously. Stay in the light! --Chad Hershberger Prayer: Dear God, you are wise and see what is best. Guide us in the choices we make each day. Amen
Reading: I Samuel 16: 1-13 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Samuel had a very important "choice" to make: who would be king. Actually, Samuel wasn't doing the choosing. The Lord had already done that. He had chosen one of Jesse's sons to be king. Samuel just had to listen and, out of all the brothers, pick out the one the Lord was telling him was right. It was a tough call to make as all the other brothers were brought to him first. All seven other brothers, in fact. Still the Lord did not say, "This one!". Instead, Samuel had to ask, "Are these all the sons you have?" Finally, the least likely candidate in eyes of man was brought before Samuel and, in the Lord's eyes, David was the chosen one. Another thing to note, all through this time Samuel was standing. Even while waiting for David to be brought in the fields, Samuel said, "We will not sit down until he arrives." Sometimes choices are hard to make. Sometimes decisions take time. No matter how many options are out there and no matter how long it takes, listen to the Lord and do not sit down until his choice is your choice. --Ruth Gates Prayer: Help us to be lights, Jesus, just like you are the light of the world. Amen.
Reading: John 9:1-41 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: This Sunday’s Gospel story is also one of our stories we will be studying this summer at camp. It’s the story of Jesus healing a man born blind. As you read in this passage, Jesus gave the man sight. Jesus said that the was the light of the world and all that follow Him will never walk in darkness but have the light of life. Imagine what it would be like to be blind. Close your eyes. Is it hard to see? If you wake up in the middle of the night and look around, is it dark? Maybe you have a night light to light your path. Maybe you use a flashlight when it gets dark. Just like those lights light up the night darkness, Jesus lights up the darkness in our world. The Bible is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. By reading the Bible, we learn more about Jesus and how we wants us to live our lives. One of the things that we should do is to share God’s love with others. That’s how we can share the light of Christ and bring light into a dark world. As you go about your day today, be reminded of the ways you can be light to others. Maybe you’ll even want to sing “This Little Light of Mine” as you let your light shine before others! --Chad Hershberger Editor’s Note: We continue today with our look at this summer’s Day 3 curriculum of “Water of Life.” Wednesday’s Theme is “At the Well—Enough for Everyone.”
Prayer: Dear Jesus we thank you for teaching us ways to be like you, loving and sharing your peace. Help us to grow in following you. In your name, we pray. Amen. Reading: Matthew 5: 1-12 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Suzy was trying to draw a picture of Jesus for Mrs. Adams. Her piece of paper only had a grassy hill and people sitting around ready to hear Jesus’ sermon. She didn’t know how to draw his feet, got frustrated, and stopped with a big white space in the middle of the page. Mrs. Adams saw Suzy’s paper and asked her what was going in the middle. Suzy had a sad look on her face and said, “Jesus. But I am not sure that I can draw him right.” Mrs. Adams said, “Oh dear one, Jesus loves people like you. Some people would say you are meek, which is like shy, afraid, or humble. Jesus says that you are the kind of people that he wants to actually rule his world! So, how about you finish your picture and know that Jesus loves that you aren’t too sure of yourself.” --Andrew Fitch Prayer: We sing for joy to the Lord even as we remember the times we grumbled. Thank you, God, for your care for us. Amen
Reading: Psalm 95 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Gotta love a Psalm that goes on and on about singing for joy, shouting aloud, thanksgiving and music-making. Look at all God has done? Worship and bow down! We are his. Then the "Ahem!" comes...as in, "This Psalmy stuff is all well and good but let's not forget all that grumbling and complaining you did once (or twice or more times) before." No different than the Israelites, freed from slavery but just a tad bit thirsty in the wilderness. Not so much singing then, that's for sure. So, Psalm 95 finishes out in a bit more somber and put us in our place sort of way. It's true. We quarrel and test. May as well call our wildernesses Meribah and Massah, too. Ahem! Do not harden your heart. We are under God's care. --Ruth Gates Prayer: Lord, you give us hope in all things and your love sustains us in the good and the bad. Amen.
Reading: Romans 5:1-11 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: The word that stands out to me in this passage is HOPE. Paul writes that we boast in our sufferings, knowing that those sufferings will produce endurance, then character, then hope. Hope, he says, does not disappoint us. Hope reminds us that God’s love is showered upon us and that we have the Holy Spirit to direct our ways. What I find most interesting about this passage is that when I’m suffering, hope probably isn’t the first thing that comes to my mind. But once again, Paul reminds us that God is with us in the good and the bad times. In all things, we should have hope. After all, in all things we have God’s love to wrap ourselves in and a Spirit to guide us all the days of our lives. –Chad Hershberger Prayer: Work with me work with these people. Amen
Reading: Exodus 17: 1-7 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: "What shall I do with these people?" (Moses cried out to the Lord). Exodus 17: 4 Totally flabbergasted with the thirsty and grumbling Israelites, Moses cries out to God. He had already tried the, "Work with me, people!" approach by asking "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?" (Exodus 17: 2) But that didn't work. They were ready to stone Moses. So, Moses turned to God for help...or at least to vent. Who are these people in your life and how to you deal with them? "Work with me, people!" is a common phrase today. We use it with our families. We may mumble it during committee meetings. Sometimes it helps; sometimes it doesn't. When it didn't for Moses, he went straight to God. Whether or not those people knew it, Moses acted according to God's directions and there was water in the wilderness. "Work with me work with these people." (We cry out to the Lord). Amen. --Ruth Gates Occasionally, we will reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on March 17, 2014.
Prayer: We come to your well, Lord, for the life-giving waters. Praise be to you. Amen. Reading: John 4: 5-42 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: When I was a camper at Mount Luther, I remember going on a hike where we took water purification tablets. If I recall correctly, we did a day hike and stopped a spot along a stream where we ate lunch. We took some water from that creek, added the water purification tablets, and were able to drink the water, knowing it had been purified. Water is needed in our lives every day. Without it, we cannot survive. Our tissues and organs need water to live. In fact, I’m told that we could survive for a while without food, but not water. In our gospel for this Sunday, Jesus tells the Samaritan woman that he is the life-giving water that she needs. He says to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.” I’m sure she was very surprised when Jesus said this to her. I think I would have been dumb-founded. But Jesus is that life-giving water. With Christ, we are given life eternal. As I was thinking about this passage, I thought about those water purification tablets. We had to be prepared and take them along to enjoy the water by the stream. Without the tablets, the water could have done us harm. In the same manner, Christ is with us where ever we go and is available when the “waters” of our life need to be made “pure” and given proper perspective. Drink from that fountain and never be thirst again! --Chad Hershberger Editor’s Note: We continue today with our look at this summer’s Day 3 curriculum of “Water of Life.” Wednesday’s Theme is “At the Well—Enough for Everyone.”
Prayer: Great God above all, you fed us and give us water. We thank you for refreshing us and renewing us. In your great Name we pray, Amen. Reading: Isaiah 55: 1-5 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: (In the Anytown General Store) “Oh I wonder how much this is.” “Doesn’t it have a price?” “I don’t see one.” “It must be free.” “Yeah, right!” Everything has a price, doesn’t it? There are many sayings that sound like, “Nothing good is free.” Can you remember the last time that you got something really valuable that you didn’t have to pay for? That’s called a gift or a winning. Someone had to buy it. The prophet Isaiah is calling out the ad, inviting followers to buy into the program with God. There are lots of free gifts, sustaining food and thirst quenching drinks. God wants us to be free and live, and God has spent more than we could pay. God wants us to be in a living relationship of life and enjoyment. Sound good to you? The prophet says, “Then don’t waste your time on anything less than life with God!” --Andrew Fitch
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Prayer: Lord, help me to sing: My help comes from the Lord.
Reading: Psalm 121 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Central Pennsylvania is full of what we call mountains. For folks who live among the Rocky Mountains rather than the Appalachians, these are just hills. Nevertheless, often our cemeteries are in sight of the hills we have lived among all our lives. Consequently, Psalm 121 is often a part of my interment liturgy. We stand in a tent, by a hole covered by a casket. We lift our eyes and there are the hills from whence our help comes in life and death. From the Lord: maker of heaven and earth; who neither slumbers nor sleeps; who keeps us—our going out and coming in for ever. Why not sing? The hills are alive with the sound of music. Wonderful words and a great tune. My help comes from the Lord. For those of you have buried loved ones recently—your help comes from the Lord. For those whose comings and goings are still coming and going—your help comes from the Lord. --Jim Bricker Prayer: Lord, by your Spirit, enable us to trust your promise.
Reading: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: So convoluted! Paul seems to think that if you can say it in 15 words, why settle for 5?! Is there a way to put a shortcut on our desktops? I think so. Here it is. “In order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all (Abraham’s) descendants.” We try so very hard to make our relationship with God depend on us. It is so very difficult for us to come with terms with the idea that our relationship with God rests on God’s promise and grace. That’s not the way life works. Right? Paul’s convoluted thinking and writing says that. Wages are our due. But that’s not how our relationship with God works. Wages are gift. That sounds weird, huh? But that’s the way it is. Lent encourages us to turn back to God. To remind ourselves to rely on God. Gift and promise. Guaranteed. --Jim Bricker Prayer: Help us to go where you send us, God. Amen. Reading: Genesis 12:1-9 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Abram is just hanging out and God says to him, “Pack up and move. Go to a new place that I’ll show you. I’m going to bless you.” So Abram went. He was 75-years-old. Imagine that. In his travels, he arrived at the Oak of Moreh. God says to him there that the land will be his children’s. “Okay,” says Abram. I’m going to keep walking and set up camp. I can imagine putting my name in that story in place of Abram’s name. I’m sure I would find all kinds of reasons not to go. I consider myself a faithful person, but I’m not sure I’d just pack up and go. I’d probably be more like Jonah than Abram and try to avoid leaving and going to a new place. But Abram listens and follows God’s orders. And he is blessed. May my faith grow like Abram’s faith. May I listen and respond to God’s call. –Chad Hershberger Occasionally, we will reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on May 25, 2015.
Prayer: Dear God, hear our prayers in the night. Amen Reading: John 3: 1-17 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Why did Nicodemus come to Jesus at night? Was it because as a Pharisee and member of the Jewish ruling council he did not want to be seen visiting Jesus? Perhaps his Pharisee friends would have given him a hard time for talking with Jesus. Yet, Nicodemus started out by telling Jesus, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." (John 3: 2). Who is we? Sounds like Nicodemus wasn't the only one who acknowledged Jesus. Still, Nicodemus was the only one who actually went to talk to Jesus and, regardless of the hour, Jesus gave him the time, attention and answers he needed. Did Nicodemus go back and share what Jesus explained to him in that late night visit? We don't really know but, if the pretty much universal knowledge of John 3:16 is any indication, I guess that late night visit by one person certainly had an impact on countless people. Let's remember that. In a way, in our community of faith, we say "We know..." as we recite the creeds together, but Jesus is always there and ready for us for the one on one conversations no matter the hour. May those times feed our own souls and then strengthen us all. --Ruth Gates Prayer: Help us, Lord, to help others and take care of their needs. Amen. Reading: John 4:3-15, 27-29 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: Since it’s March, we begin our look at this summer’s Day 3 curriculum. In this story Jesus turns expectations upside down by welcoming a woman who was an outcast. Jesus tells her that he is the source of the water of life and that he came for all people. What surprises you about this story? Why were the disciples surprised at the end of the story? What do you think they would have expected Jesus to do? The woman came to the well to get water, something that she needed physically, but she ended up learning about Jesus and how he provides for us spiritually as well. Both her physical needs and her spiritual needs were met. When we find people in our lives who have need, how do we respond? How might their spiritual needs be met as well? What would it take to turn these situations upside down like Jesus did? Try to find someone to help today. –Chad Hershberger Prayer: Be by my side, Lord, and help me to see you and be happy. Amen.
Reading: Psalm 32 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: This week, I went to a lecture by David Gregory at Susquehanna University. Gregory is a CNN analyst, who used to work at NBC News and hosted “Meet The Press.” He was also a White House Correspondent during the George W. Bush presidency. Gregory has written a book about his journey of faith. He talked about it during his lecture. One of the points he made was that despite his rise in television news and being very successful, there were times in his life that he still felt empty. As we started to explore his Jewish faith, it started to be more in his heart, rather than just in his head. When I read this Psalm, I thought of Gregory’s speech. This Psalm reminds us of happiness as it is tied to our faith. It reminds us that God is always with us. It reminds us that there is more to life than just what happens on earth. Gregory says he reads the Psalms and turns to them for comfort. In times when you need to be reminded to be happy, or in times that you need a pick me up, turn to the Psalms and remember that God is with you. –Chad Hershberger March 1, 2017: Death through Adam, Life through Christ Occasionally, we will reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on March 5, 2014. Prayer: Sing "Kum Ba Yah" with whatever words describe you today, good or bad, but with a final verse of how you feel knowing God loves you. Reading: Romans 5:12-19 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: I have been shocked by the numbers of Christian men and women who come to their deathbeds knowing nothing about the God of grace and mercy. They have known instead the judge of impossible standards, and they have been, naturally enough, afraid to meet that God. - Eve Kavenaugh, "Prayer of the Flesh" in Other Side (1993) Afraid to meet God? Humbled...oh, yes. Bowed down...definitely. Awed...absolutely. But afraid? I hope not. Sure there is divine judgment but thankfully there is also divine love. The verses in Romans explain that in a somewhat convoluted way, at least to me. Paul pretty much says "death spread to all because all have sinned" (Romans 5:12). But remember, in death and in life, we rely on God's grace. Let's not be afraid to meet God on our last day or any day for that matter. Meet God today with joy in his mercy and grace. --Ruth Gates |
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