Prayer: Dear God, you are my strength. You allow me to overcome any challenge, and in your company I will not feel weak. Thank you for your strength and protection. Amen.
Reading: Luke 10: 1-11, 16-20 (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: Luke 10: 19 “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you.” I was fortunate enough to grow up with an older brother, and although he is a mere thirteen months older than me, he has always been a lot stronger. In elementary school, he started wrestling. I always knew when he learned a new move at practice because I was the first person he tried it out on. Then in high school, he joined the football team which resulted in hours upon hours of gym work-outs. I was always at risk of the casual nudge—with one flat palm he’d push against my shoulder, and I had no choice but to fall backwards. Needless to say, I was the weak one. I was the scrawny one. I didn’t have huge muscles to show off, and I definitely wasn’t going to bench press two-hundred pounds anytime soon. I didn’t enjoy being pushed around by someone bigger than me, and I didn’t think it was possible to be the stronger person. Feeling weak wasn’t, and still isn’t, any fun at all. In this passage, the Lord reminds his followers that they are not weak. They are told that they have “authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy.” I don’t exactly enjoy the thought of stepping anywhere near scorpions or snakes, nor do I wish to confront the enemies in my life—those that are much larger than an older brother. I can do so, though, if I remind myself of the Lord’s message in this passage. No harm will come to me because, even though I may not have strength in my muscles, I have strength in God’s authority. This is what makes all of the difference. Each one of us is capable of accomplishing great feats, even those that once felt far beyond our capabilities, because we are followers of God. When we choose to listen to the Lord, we are strengthened by his word, his protection, and his love. This strength is far more powerful than what you’ll get in your typical weight room. --Courtney Dunn
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