Editor’s Note: We continue today with our look at this summer’s Day 5 curriculum of “Water of Life.” Thursday’s Theme is “By Still Waters-- Resting in God.”
Prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, help us to know you and follow you with greater devotion, clarity and faithfulness. Amen. Reading: John 10:1-18 (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: Do you remember when phones did not have caller ID? When a phone rang, you would say hello as a question. Sometimes you would have to say, "Who is this?" Or, if you were calling and they did not know you well, you would identify yourself. Sometimes, part of the fun would be trying to get the person on the other end of the line to figure out who you were. Some familial voices sound very similar. To a friend or acquaintance, two brothers might sound the same. For me, I could answer the phone and some people weren't sure if it was my father, brother, or me! Mothers, grandmothers or best friends, though, would probably get it right. Those who really love you know what your voice sounds like. The reverse is also true. You know what your beloved sounds like even on a garbled wireless call. The spiritual challenge, of course, is that we don't know what Jesus' physical voice sounds like. Discernment means that we try to make sense of the voices and narratives that try to tell us what to be and who we are. Yet, what we really want to discover is what God wants us to do and be. Best of all, God knows us the best and has our best interests in mind. God truly knows our truest self. God knows what our voice sounds like early in the morning after a rough night of restlessness. So we pray, try to keep still and focus to listen for what God has willed for us. --Andrew Fitch
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Editor’s Note: We continue today with our look at this summer’s Day 5 curriculum of “Water of Life.” Thursday’s Theme is “By Still Waters-- Resting in God.”
Prayer: Great God, you are the One and only that we praise. To you our hearts and minds raise. All that we are and all that we might be Rests in your mystery and majesty. Amen. Reading: Psalm 100 (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: A church that I attended a long time ago had some of the verses of this psalm etched into the full glass doors of the sanctuary. It is great to have a literal interpretation that doesn’t cause problems. Yet, it is still a challenge. We might at this point in Eastertide be so far away from the jubilation and so deep in real life and the rush of spring activities and events that we might find entering into worship a chore or something we might skip. To enter into God’s courts with thanksgiving might be hard if something has gone wrong or you are struggling with grief or loss. What if, however, things are going pretty well? Then, by all means do not skip out on worship! Let your abundance, generosity, and exuberance speak for others that it might lift them up. We might not realize how much we need each other. You singing a hymn or song joyfully could be just what the man three pews up needs to fill his ears. The way you add inflection to “our daily bread” could be just what the young woman across the aisle needs to hear so she worries a little less about how she is going to feed all five children this coming week. Along that same line, the offering that you decide to beef up because you are feeling so awesome and in love with God and what God is doing in your life makes its way to feed a bunch of children that you can’t even see in worship—but soon they will be smiling too! --Andrew Fitch Editor’s Note: We continue today with our look at this summer’s Day 4 curriculum of “Water of Life.” Thursday’s Theme is “In the Pool-Seeing and Being the Light.”
Prayer: Light of our lives, shine in our hearts today. Reveal your love and show us the way out of shadows into your fullness. Amen. Reading: John 8:12-20 (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: If you have flown by air you know that there is now a full body scanner that you walk through in airport security so that what is hidden can be detected. The screeners can’t tell who you are and if you are safe just by looking at you. Jesus starts the text for today with a very inspirational and quotable verse. Just like the full light of day reveals and shows details, so Jesus has to keep going and explain himself and remove the shadows and dark spots for the Pharisees. Jesus goes on to say something that I think is even better. Jesus doesn’t judge. If he has to, which I take it to mean when the final push comes to shove with Mr. Evilsinanddeath, then it is a heavenly team approach. Even then, God doesn’t judge the way we do. God doesn’t need or use a full body scanner. God doesn’t judge by the flesh, or outward appearances. Shockingly, God doesn’t use GPA, AGI, awards, accolades, or anything that we like to shine a spotlight on. It is the witness of Christ that decides. If we reflect the light of Christ and give witness to his witness to God than we are in the right reflection of God’s glory. We won’t walk in darkness. --Andrew Fitch Prayer: Clear the mud from our eyes, Jesus, and help us to see the light. Amen. Reading: John 9:1-11 (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: As we begin a new month, our Friday devotions will be based on our Day 4 theme for this summer in our “Water of Life” curriculum. Thursday’s theme is “In the Pool—Seeing and Being the Light.” This story is about a man who was born blind. Jesus heals him by spitting in the dirt and putting the mud on the man’s eyes and then telling him to go and wash in the Pool of Siloam. What do you think about this story? Why does it surprise you? Imagine if you were blindfolded. What if someone was in the room with you and making noise, say hitting a glass or bowl with a spoon or dropping something on the floor. Could you guess what the other person is using to make the noises? Like the blindfold, or the mud in the story, there are things in our lives that keep us from “seeing” (or hearing or recognizing) Jesus, the light of the world. In the story, washing in the water healed the man. What are the things that help you see Jesus in your life? --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, 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 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: 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 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 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 Editor’s Note: We continue to look at alternative texts today for Day 2 of this summer’s “The Water of Life” curriculum. Prayer: Lord God, great is your Name in all the Earth. Make us clean and holy for you. Wash us for the praise of your glory! Amen. Reading: Ezekiel 36: 22-26 (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: Many years ago, if you said something “dirty” a parent or grandparent might threaten to wash your mouth out with soap. I distinctly remember my cousin running out the back door to avoid the sudsy bar headed towards his “potty mouth.” When he returned a while later, he was cautioned to keep his mouth clean. I remember my brother looked at me like he was glad that we hadn’t repeated his words. If you haven’t tasted soap, don’t put it on the menu. Soap is not meant to be licked or eaten in any way—yuck! We have all said something we regret. We might even have a swear jar to put money in if we do. As Christians, we should all be sure to make sure that we are not using God’s Name in any unholy way. OMG is not a “clean” expression. Saying “Oh G-d,” as a surprise isn’t clean either. The Prophet Ezekiel shares the desire of God for us to be a squeaky clean people. God intends to keep washing us and cleaning us up. God wants us to only use God’s name in holy and good ways. The baptismal water-life means that we can call on the Name that cleans us and God will help us. The water of baptism, remembered in sprinkling and splashing, shows us that God aims to keep our mouths, hands, feet, ears,…all of us—clean! --Andrew Fitch Editor’s Note: We continue to look at alternative texts today for Day 2 of this summer’s “The Water of Life” curriculum.
Prayer: We thank you, Lord, for claiming us in the waters of baptism. Amen. Reading: Matthew 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: In the cold days of winter, it is delightful to think of the warm and hot days spent by the pool or the creek. The hotter the days, the more magnetic the water seems to become. Even those that don’t really want to swim that day have their feet in and are happy to be splashed by the goofballs and whipper-snappers. The cannonball, belly flop, or biggest splash competitions cannot be spitefully aimed at the dry row of edge sitters. In the heat, they cheer and welcome the splash. Do we see the Baptism of Jesus as a tame thing, with the water barely parting to receive the Creator of all that is aquatic? Or was there a large splash with water droplets flying around. Did a small wave or set of ripples race away from his descent into the Spirit Water? It might be better for us to see this scene as splashing and lively. It would be good to envision that if we were there, we would be in the “splash zone.” Baptism is not only reverent and special, holy and honored. It is also fun and full of life, kooky and weird to the world. It is delightful and refreshing, inspiring and awesome. Who wins the biggest splash competition? God. God is a show-off and always wins (even when playing against our worst enemies). --Andrew Fitch Editor’s Note: We continue to look at alternative texts today for Day 2 of this summer’s “The Water of Life” curriculum.
Prayer: Dear God, help me to find you and be with me in my seeking. Make me aware of all that you do to love me. Use me as a light for those who are trying to find you and know you. Amen. Reading: John 3:1-8 (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 a few people (who will go unnamed) that are really bad at playing seek games—even in the light of day. I am thinking Easter egg hunts and stuff like that. I know it isn’t close to Easter, but they had a particularly hard time finding eggs that were in the open. You know, the really brightly colored ones, too! In their defense, sometimes finding is difficult. Playing hide and seek type games in the dark is even more challenging (and fun!). Nicodemus didn’t want to be found out. He only wanted to ask Jesus some questions. He didn’t want his friends to know that he was curious about Jesus and his teachings. I admire how much courage it must have taken Nicodemus to seek Jesus, and find the courage to ask the questions he was really wondering about. I am sure that he was a bit confused about Jesus describing to him the water-life of his love. The blending of water and spirit makes Holy Baptism and the life of the disciple that follows. Being born into water-life goes beyond regular water into life with God forever. I am glad that John bothers to tell us at the end of the story (Jn. 19:39) that Nicodemus was still around, honoring the care of Jesus’ body in death. He was still seeking. He hadn’t given up completely. Although, I am sure that he had a really big surprise when Sunday morning came rolling around and the stone had been rolled away! Oh how shocked he must have been to hear that Jesus’ strange answers about water-life were from a man that would not stay dead. Jesus’ water is truly alive! --Andrew Fitch Prayer: We are blessed by the newness of life you give us, Lord, and are grateful that you claim us as your own.
Reading: Mark 1: 4-11 (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: Now that it is February, we’ll look this month on Fridays at Day 2 of our summer curriculum, “The Water of Life.” Day 2’s theme is “In the River—Birth and Belonging” as we look at how God claims us through the waters of baptism. Today’s story is the Baptism of Jesus. In this story from the Gospel of Mark, John the Baptist baptizes Jesus in the Jordan River. John had many followers and had baptized many people, but when he baptizes Jesus, something exciting happens. How do you think the crowd reacted when Jesus was baptized and they heard a voice from heaven? John had told the people that someone greater than he was coming. Do you think the people thought that Jesus was the one that John spoke about? John made it clear that Jesus would be different. What do you think the people were expecting from Jesus? Today, as you pass by water sources (such as a pool, lake, stream, a sprinkler in your backyard, or even your kitchen faucet), think about all of the ways you use water in a single day. How many uses can you think of? Think of all of the things that you wash using water. When something is washed, you can’t see where it had been dirty. It is like new. In baptism, we are made new! --Chad Hershberger Editor’s Note: We continue today with our look at Day 1 alternative texts for this summer’s curriculum, “The Water of Life.” Day 1 is “From the Deep—Goodness and Gift.”
Prayer: Loving God, you are a blessing and a help at all times--mad, sad or glad—I lift my heart to you. Amen. Reading: Psalm 42 (esp. vs 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: I remember being with my daughter and she was crying listening to a sad song. I didn’t particularly like the song, so I suggested that she change it. She refused. She seemed to want to keep crying. Sometimes, you just have to cry and get it all out. After a good cry, you feel better. There is a peace that comes to you on the other side of a “bowl of tears.” The Psalm for today is a sad song (they were usually chanted), but yet one that tells the wonderful good news that God is with us in our sad times. Before we know it, things aren’t so bad after all. That’s how it is with God’s love, once you’ve experienced it—you want to spread its fresh like springiness to everyone. Then they will know that there is a God and God helps everyone in all times and in all places! --Andrew Fitch Prayer: Dear Lord, Help us to be content with your ways and trust in your care. 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: As we continue our look at Day 1’s curriculum for this summer, we look at one of the alternate texts for that day. Massah and Meribah might mean test and quarrel, but to me it sounds like fussing and fighting. It might help if you say the words like a frustrated mother speaking to whiny children: “Quit your fussin’ and fightin’ or you will miss the fun you might be having.” My brother, sister, and I are not very far apart in age and we didn’t usually quarrel or test our parents too much (in our angelic opinion), but I am sure that we did on long trips. I am sure then it got worse than the usual, “are we there yet?!” One time we were arguing about something until my mom said something like, “you are arguing so much that you are missing all the interesting things we are passing right outside your window.” What the people of God were doing was even worse—they were complaining to Moses about God as if God wasn’t around. We should never be so silly to think that God isn’t anywhere. God is everywhere. They were complaining that God didn’t care about them and provide for them. We should never be so silly to think that God doesn’t love us and can’t rescue us from any dry or dusty problem. --Andrew Fitch Prayer: For your gift of water and the goodness of each drop, we give you thanks, O Lord. Amen.
Reading: Genesis 1: 1-2:2 (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: This summer at camp, our curriculum is called “The Water of Life.” Our campers experience God’s gift of physical water swimming in the pool, canoeing at the pond, or enjoying a cool drink of water at the pavilion on a hot day. This year, campers will also learn about the life-giving water of God that heals, sustains, and saves us. As part of our First Light Digital Devotions, we’ll look at each day of our summer curriculum between now and camp. In January, we’ll focus on our Day 1 theme of “From the Deep—Goodness and Gift.” Today’s story is our main Bible reading for this day. I was privileged to be one of the writers for this curriculum, writing the section for Upper Elementary campers. We wrote during the last two months of 2015 and just after I finished and submitted my final manuscripts, I went on a cruise. As I looked out over the vast ocean, with nothing in sight but the sky and water, I was reminded of the water of life that God gives to us. I thought about how God moved over the water during the creation story. Being in the middle of the ocean gave me a great appreciation for this water of life! Today’s passage is about God creating the earth. In the beginning there is nothing, but by the time God rests after the work of creating, the waters are teeming with life. God’s creation began with water and continues every day. As you reflect on this story today, maybe you can take some time to take some clay or Play Dough and create something out of it. How does it make you feel to make something? What are some other things you have created during your life? Think of a time when you made something for someone else. How did that feel? Unlike God, we can’t create something out of nothing. In creation, God created water that sustains life and fulfills many of our needs and the needs of others. It is a gift of God, and so therefore it is good. How do we treat something that is a gift? Do we treat water as something that is a good gift? What are ways that you can take care of this gift from God better in the future? --Chad Hershberger |
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