Camping

I have fond memories from my youth routinely pitching a tent outside our house. I loved the option of sleeping outside throughout the summer months. I’d often abandon my comfortable bed inside if it meant sleeping under the beauty of stars. Looking back, I think my parents insisted on us sleeping outside as a way to get the kids out of the house for the night. Still, we had a blast camping on our own!

There is a wonderful scene in Genesis 32 where Jacob, having left his family, goes out on his own. He encounters angels in the place where he stays overnight. He names the place Mahanaim, which means “God’s camp” (Genesis 32:2). There, he wrestles with who he believes to be his brother, Esau, but turns out to be God. Jacob is a representation for Israel, which literally means “God wrestler.”

At this campsite, amidst the discomfort, among the wilderness, Jacob wrestles with God. To be clear, wrestling with God is not a bad thing. In fact, it’s necessary. Wrestling with God is how our faith grows deeper. God loves our intellectual quandary. The writers of the Bible were not giving us an exact manual on how to think and behave. The Bible is an example of us, humans, wrestling with God.

So, whenever you’re out there all alone, in the wilderness, surrounding the warmth of a campfire, God is there with you. God smiles when we ask the tough questions about life and meaning. Those questions indicate that you are wrestling and your faith is growing. This week, 70+ Vacation Bible School children went to camp at Lamb of God Church. We ate marshmallows, sang silly songs, and met lots of new friends. More importantly, our faith grew!  

Kids are often the best theologians because they’re not afraid to think outside the restraints of church dogma. This week a sweet little girl asked, “if God is everywhere, and everyone likes to go camping, then why doesn’t the church go camping?” Indeed, and sometimes we do! This kind of question develops faith. I’m proud of all the little campers! I’m proud of our preschool teachers, our staff, our volunteers, and everyone who made the week possible. God is alive and well in this place!

With s’more in hand,

Pastor Lucas

Photo by Scott Goodwill