Reading: Joshua 24: 15
Reflection: Throughout history, people turned to false gods and worshipped them. We are told in the Ten Commandments to put no other god before our God and Father. But many refused to listen and turned to other gods. In today's world you don't hear much about other gods. But we may be serving "gods" other than our Creator. We may be a servant to money, or fame, or something else that consumes our life. We need to decide who or what to put first in our life. If you are unwilling to serve God, you must choose whom you will serve. As Joshua says, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." Hopefully that will be your decision, too. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director
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For today's devotional, again we will use the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which will also be a big part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers this summer. First, read the passage and then discuss the four questions below. Conclude by reading the reflection and ponder the quote presented. Reading: Isaiah 55: 1-2
Reflection: Each year on this day, there is a big celebration in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, to celebrate "Goose Day." I grew up in Mifflin County and became accustomed to eating goose on this day. There would also be various events to celebrate Goose Day including a road rally, a 10 kilometer race, a cavalcade of bands, and other festivals. It was on this day in medieval times when a tenant would offer his landlord a goose to pay the rent for the year. Legend has it that if you eat goose on Goose Day, you will not want for money the rest of the year. Whether you believe in the old folk lore or not, I think there is another way that you can not want for money. A friend of mine once told me that if your monetary gift to the church is the first money you distribute from your paycheck that you will also not want for money. God will provide for you. I think tithing is important. We should give to God what is God's. Ten percent of all we make is the Lord's and we should make sure to give it to God. If you are unsure of doing that, try it and see how God does provide for your needs if you give your first fruits to God! --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Reading: Romans 8: 31
Reflection: So often we dwell on trying to be liked by others and trying to fix our relationships with those who we feel may be against us. But if we take this verse to heart, we never have to worry about other's opinions on us. This verse reminds us, "If God is for us, who can be against us?" As long as we are one of God's children, we don't need to worry about what others here on earth may think of us. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Reading: Psalm 95: 5
Reflection: Look around you. What do you see? Hopefully you are in an outdoor setting as you read this. If so, you may see trees, leaves, perhaps a small animal. If you are inside, go to a window. Look out and observe your surroundings. Listen to the sounds in the air. Do you hear birds singing? The wind blowing? Maybe you can hear music in the distance. What song is playing? What song is playing in your heart? Feel the warm breeze on your skin. Is it refreshing? What else around you can you touch? Feel the different textures. Smell the sweet aromas that encircle your private space. What do they smell like? Do those smells take you back to days of old, remind you of places you’ve been, people you know, things that you have done. Are they pleasing smells? Or are they odorous? Would you rather not be smelling what you smell right now. The sun rose this morning. In all its splendor, it marked the end of the hours of darkness and reminds us that God’s grace and mercies are delivered to us new each day. Just as Jesus, the son, rose from the dead to give us new life, so the sun rises each day, giving birth to a new day; a fresh beginning. God has painted a picture for us. It is there for us to enjoy each and every day. It’s titled, “Creation” and is the gallery we call earth. Can you see God in your surroundings? Do you feel God’s presence? Be still and know that God is there. Even before earth was created in seven days, God was there. God will be there until the end. God is the Alpha and the Omega. Worship the one who brought this marvelous creation to you. In this upcoming month of colorful leaves and another beautiful season of creation, take some time to enjoy it! Discussion:
Reading: Philipians 4: 6-7 Reflection: This verse tells us that we should not worry about anything. Instead of worrying, we should let our requests be known to God in prayer. By praying about things that worry us, we can find peace in God. That peace will guard our hearts and our minds. When we worry, if we turn our thoughts to Jesus Christ, we will feel peace. The next time you are in a worrisome situation, pray about it and turn your thoughts toward God. There, you will find peace. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Closing: Discuss with others or meditate on this quote by Lao-tzu, "To see things in the seed, that is genius." Reading: Psalm 107: 9
Reflection: In Central Pennsylvania, for one week in September, thousands flock to the town of Bloomsburg for the annual Bloomsburg Fair. The fair is huge, complete with hundreds of food vendors, crafts, other goods, and of course, animals. Growing up, I had heard about the Bloomsburg Fair but never attended until I was a freshman in college. And boy was my first experience there memorable. I told the person I went with that I wanted to see the whole fair. And we did. I made my friend walk up and down every street and see everything that there was at the fair. We spent hours looking around, eating, and playing games. It was a lot of fun. Just as I wanted to see it all at the Bloomsburg Fair, we should also want to get all that we can out of a Christian life. We should take every opportunity we have to grow in our faith through Bible study, worship, prayer, hospitality, and service. I've been back to the Bloomsburg Fair several times since my first trip. But I've never seen it all like I did that first time. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Reading: 2 Timothy 3: 12-13
Reflection: How often in your life has someone told you to "Have a Good Day?" Most of us probably hear that everyday. It is nice for people to wish us a good day, but does anyone remind you how you should act during the day? I know someone who often told me to "Have a Good and Godly Day." I find that very refreshing. Not only are they telling me to have a good day but they are wishing that I have a godly day-- a day filled with God's blessings. It also reminds me that as a Christian, I should live up to Christian principles each day and do what is pleasing to God. Have a Good and Godly Day today! --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Reading: Psalm 80: 14
Reflection: God created everything, including human beings. If you have ever created something, you take great pride in it and try to protect it and see that it is taken care of. This psalm is a prayer to God asking for God to look favorably on creation. When we are in need, we should turn to God ask God to preserve what God's right hand has planted! --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Reading: James 5: 7-9
Reflection: When I was a kid, I enjoyed visits to my grandparent’s farm. It was fun there—we could play in the haystacks, feed milk to the stray cats, and watch the cows get milked. We played in the old chicken coop once in awhile. It was also a treat to ride the tractor with my cousin Steve who would go and get the cows out of the fields each evening. The trip to Grammy and Pappy’s was long—over three hours. Often it was very hard to be patient until we got there. At a young age, trains fascinated me. If I fell asleep during the trip to the farm, I told my parents to wake me up if we were near any trains. I liked to see those trains! My dad grew up on the farm. As we were traveling through the countryside, often we would smell the odor of manure. My dad called it “fresh country air.” I’m sure that smell took him back to his childhood, down on the farm! On these trips, my sister and I could usually predict what our grandmother would have to eat when we got there- sloppy joes. She also made really good chocolate chip cookies and we would hope that she had time to make a batch. A trip to the farm was almost always a good experience. It took awhile to get there, but once we were there, we had a good time. We all need to learn to be patient in our lives. There usually is something good on the way when we are! --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Discussion:
Reading: Psalm 90: 12 Reflection: So what can one do to live in the present? Well one thing is that when you find yourself thinking about the past or the future, stop and remind yourself to live for the moment. You can also start appreciating the small things if you don't already do so. Take time out to smell the flowers, so to speak. You can also remind yourself if you are in a "worrying about the future" mode that we don't have any reason to fear the future. Jesus died and rose from the dead so our sins would be forgiven and we would be given eternal life. We don't have anything to fear about the future because as chosen children of God, our future is secure. But I think the most effective way to live for the present is to approach life as a child. I had the realization once that children always live for the moment. I was playing with some small children and I lost all sense of time. I couldn't believe how fast the time passed. I had a blast playing with them and did not worry about what had happened that day or what was happening in the coming days. I later realized that children have no sense of time and very little past to ponder. It is as we get older, days go together and life gets monotonous. Children also trust their parents. They do what their parents say and need them for support and guidance. If we remember that God is our Father and truly act like God's children, we too will live for the present. If we approach life in a childlike way, every day can be a new adventure given to us by God, our Father. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Closing: Discuss with others or reflect on this quote: "Yesterday is history; tomorrow is a mystery; today is a gift from God, that is why it is called the present." Reading: Ecclesiastes 7: 14; I Peter 5: 7
Reflection: Often the cause for us to look ahead or look behind in our lives is some adversity or problem we are facing. We may wrap ourselves up in memories or wish for a better time because we do not like what is happening to us right now. But, we must realize that the adversity we face was given to us as we are given prosperous days. We should just learn to accept our current status in life and know that another day could make a big difference. We should remember that we can learn greatly from our problems and use those experiences to make us a better person. We should embrace adversity and use it to our advantage. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Reading: Proverbs 20: 24
Reflection: The most important thing to remember when trying to live for the present is that we don't know anything about the future. Tomorrow is indeed a mystery. We should not boast about what will happen in our future because we don't know what a day will bring. Think about it. Would it really be that great to know everything that will happen in our future? Sometimes the anticipation of knowing is better than the actual event. When trying to live for the present, we also need to remember that we don't need to worry about the future if we trust God. God will lead us and order our steps in everything we do. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Reading: Ecclesiastes 7: 10
Reflection: Often, I've written down about important events and thoughts in my life in a "journal." I have gone back occasionally and read those writings and remembered "the good old days," experiencing once again some of the things that were important to me in my life. When I get together with friends and loved ones, we often talk about shared experiences. We like to go back to the "good old days." It's fun to remember the good old days but should we get caught up in what has already happened when there is nothing we can do about the past? It's history-- gone forever. As I once heard someone say, "Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift from God-- that is why it is called the present." We should learn to live in the present moment. Over the next few days, we will read scripture that has to do with living for today. Hopefully you can start to change your ways and not get wrapped up with the "good old ddays For today's devotional, again we will use the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which will also be a big part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers this summer. First, read the passage and then discuss the four questions below. Conclude by reading the reflection and ponder the quote presented.
Reading: Revelation 21: 3-4 QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, or challenges me in this text? (or for younger kids, which part of the story doesn’t make sense to me?) QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text? (or for younger kids, what is my favorite part of the story?) QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? (or for younger kids, what does this story remind me of?) QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? (or for younger kids, what is God or Jesus doing in this story?) Reflection: It's tough when someone we love dies. My grandmothers died six months apart- that was tough. When my "adopted grandmother" died, her family decided to have a private funeral. I had to say my goodbyes the night before the funeral. I was devastated when our family dog was hit and killed by a car in front of our house when I was a child. We had a proper burial for her, including a short visitation in the dining room and burying her in a child-sized casket. When you have to deal with the death of a loved one, it's comforting to know that God is with us. We may feel great sorrow, but God is there with us and is helping us deal with the pain. Death is a part of life. We should also remember that God overcame death and has prepared a place for those who believe. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Closing: Discussion:
Reading: John 16: 33 Reflection: Peace is something I imagine we all want to obtain to some degree. Sometimes, we may not feel very peaceful. We may feel stressed, upset, or uneasy about something in our lives. I have seen and felt peace. At times in my life, everything is calm and nothing seems to bother me. That is peace. I have also seen peace in other people. There are some people who when I am around, I just feel a sense of easiness. They are very relaxed and have found an inner peace. While we are on this earth, we will suffer. But God tells us that because God has defeated the world, we will someday be in a place where there will be eternal peace. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Closing: Pray for peace. Discussion:
Reading: Luke 1: 39-45 Reflection: Elizabeth was a woman who seems to be very caring and compassionate. She probably is one of those people who never thinks of herself. Elizabeth was an encourager to Mary. She stood by her and told her that "everything is going to be okay." We need to be more like Elizabeth, encouraging others and helping them feel comfort. Being an encourager is an important job! --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Closing: Pray today for those who encourage others and for those who need encouragement. Reading: Deuteronomy 5: 32-33
Reflection: I read a sign on a church billboard once that said, "Turning to God is always a right turn." I thought that summed up this verse pretty well. When we go about our daily lives, we should always do what God has commanded us to do through the Word. We should not be lead astray by those around us, by the television set, or other worldly possessions. We should always turn to God for help and strength in all that we do. If we do as God has commanded, we can rest assured that we will live long and prosper. This passage also tells that we will prolong our days in the land that we posses if we follow God. It's so simple and yet many people don't want to follow God's commands. Are you following all that God has taught us? --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Reading: Psalm 89: 14
Reflection: In my stint as a radio news reporter, I had the opportunity to cover a murder trial in our county. It was one experience I will probably never forget. To me, it was very eye-opening to be in an actual courtroom. I had seen legal proceedings portrayed on television, but this was the first time I was ever in an actual courtroom for a trial. It was interesting to listen to testimony and see evidence presented. I also enjoyed being able to watch the reaction jurors and others in the courtroom had when certain testimony was presented. When the verdict was about to be read, I sat with great excitement. I was anxious to find out if the jurors felt the same way I did. In the end, they did and the defendants were convicted. Justice is an important part of our being. We should seek justice and remember that we too will be judged at the Lord's seat of judgment someday. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Reading: I Corinthians 10: 13
Reflection: In this verse, we are told that God will not give us more than we can handle without paving the road for us. What a comforting thought to know! When times get tough and we don't think we can handle the situations in our lives, we need to remind ourselves that God won't have us tempted more than we can handle. Nor will God give us more than we can handle. When we struggle with events and temptations in our lives, let us not forget that our road ahead has been paved by our Heav Discussion:
Reading: Ephesians 3: 20-21 Reflection: My family attended the wedding of a family friend once. I had grown up with the bride and graduated from high school with her. Our families had spent Christmases together and did a lot together when I was growing up. As I was sitting in the church thinking back on all the things that we had done as kids, I realized a lot of what we had done was in the church. We were in youth group together and attended Sunday School and other church functions. I could picture us running around the church, being kids. I began to think of how the church plays an important role in our lives and how it provides a constant in our ever-changing lives. I looked around the church sanctuary and thought how in the 27 years I had been around that church, it hadn't changed much. I thought of how the church is where you go for important events in your life, like baptism, marriage, and funerals. No matter what changes take place in our lives, if we are church-going people, we have a constant. The church can be the foundation in our lives. It can, and should, play an important role in our development as humans. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director Closing: Discuss or reflect on this anonymous quote: "Those who live the Christian life never see each other for the last time." Reading: Proverbs 1:8-9 Reflection: If you are a parent, you naturally worry about your children when you send them out on their own. As a Christian parent, you have the added worry that they may be led astray from the values of the gospel, or be exposed to teachings that can damage their faith. I know that the world can sometimes be a scary place, so choosing appropriate activities can sometimes be a challenge. Whether you are planning something as a family or looking for spiritually uplifting things that your kids will enjoy, there are plenty of options. I offer here "A Parent's Guide to Christian Friendly Activities for Kids:"
There are plenty of Christian friendly activities for you and your family to enjoy out there besides the wonderful gathering s provided by your church. The lessons your children learn from you and the gospel will help guide them through this life and give them the ability to always know right from wrong. Take comfort in that and remember that no matter where they go they will always have their faith to guide them. --Karen Parson is a health care provider and enjoys guiding the youth of Texas at Camp Cho-Yeh during her summers. She found our blog online and wanted to contribute to Discussion:
Reading: I Samuel 3:8 Reflection: When I was growing up, my childhood pastor often said to me, "Chad, if God taps you on the shoulder, make sure you don't say 'no.'" He encouraged me to think about ordained ministry. Again, he said, “Chad- if God taps you on the shoulder, make sure you don’t say ‘no’.” He added, however, that if I felt more called, being involved in the church as a layperson, that was good, too. The church needed folks like that. He told me my parents were good role models in that department. I never forgot his words. After I became Mount Luther director, I got in touch with my old pastor's widow. She was delighted to hear from me and agreed that Pastor would be very proud of where I ended up and what I was doing to advance God's work. I think God can tap us in different ways. We, like Noah, should be willing to do whatever God asks us to. We need to be aware of what God is saying to us in our lives and act on it. When God taps us, no matter what God asks, we shouldn't say, "no." Closing: Pray that you will open to the unexpected. In light of recent events, I dug out an older writing I did. The following was written in 1999, in a time of peace for our country. Since this writing, we have seen military action in Iraq, Afghanistan, and this week our president and congress will continue to debate on what should be done in Syria. I think what I wrote 14 years ago still applies. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director
Reading: James 4:1 Reflection: I have only lived through one war that affected my life. It was in 1991 that the United States declared war on Iraq. I was a freshman in college at the time, pursuing a degree in broadcast journalism. When the war began shortly after 6:30 p.m. on a January evening, I was watching television and saw the first photos of the bombing on Bagdad. It was a scary time. I worked at the campus radio station and got called to come in and help with our war coverage. I spent the rest of that night watching and reporting on the events half way across the world. My prayers went out to the men and women who were fighting for freedom. In the Old Testament we are told of wars that were fought. In our history classes we learn of other wars that took place all across the world. I guess war is a fact of life. But we should strive for peace, not only with other countries but with the people we come into contact with. We should promote harmony with each other, not strife. Each day, we should ask God to help us have peace with ourselves and with others. Reading: Isaiah 42: 7; John 9: 32-33
Reflection: The prophet Isaiah predicted that there would be a man who could make the blind see. When Jesus came to earth and started his ministry, he healed the blind. But some did not believe that a man could do that. When they heard of Jesus' healing, they did not believe. Perhaps they should have not have been do astonished. Isaiah predicted that the Son of Man would make the blind see. In the same way, people today who are unbelievers should have their eyes opened. If they do not believe, they should be shown that Jesus did come to earth and has given us eternal life. Their eyes need to be opened to the light of Christ. --Chad Hershberger, Camp Mount Luther Director |
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