Greater Than: Reflections

This past week at middle school camp provided so many poignant reminders of why I work in

ministry and how much I have enjoyed working with youth in particular. I'm still sorting through many of my thoughts (even though with an exhaustion addled brain.) I'm sure there will be other highlights to share, but here are few that stand out in brief retrospect:

• A conversation with guys in the canteen line about being careful who you follow--the same guys who were completely disengaged in chapel, but now listening intently as we just talked
• Praying for my camp staff each day & sharing with them God's challenge to not grow weary of doing good work for the harvest is coming and then experiencing that harvest over the next 24 hours
• Talking with one our young men who was overcome with emotion as he gave his life to Christ 
• Calling parents to let them know their child has decided to follow Jesus-can't call with any better news than that
• Simple, positive touches for campers each day--high fives, hugs, pats on the back, and verbal affirmation--just to let them know we care
• Watching our incredible staff dance, play, sing, laugh, and cry with campers
• Seeing 10 young people commit their lives to Christ and follow through in baptism
• The gratefulness of parents for a week of Kingdom investment..

Greater Than: God + me > world

God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things. It's the way He lets us be part of something that is bigger than our abilities and influence. He has uniquely equipped us to step up to meet needs, to lead revolutions, to transform communities, and to lead our family and friends to Christ. We simply need to recognize the opportunity, bring God what we have of ourselves and let His power flow through us to bring change. God's vast power working through our limitations has been the way the world has been changed from the beginning. 

What are you asking God to do through you to make a substantial impact in the world?

Greater Than: God > death

Death is a morose subject, but since it is inevitable we will all eventually deal with it in some way. We may strive to avoid it, but death runs faster and longer than we do and will eventually catch us. It's why we can gain confidence when we hear Jesus say that He is the resurrection and the life. Death may find us, but it will not hold us when we are Christ followers. He assures us that our commitment to Him will allow Christ's sacrifice to cover for our sins and bring us life forever with Him. It instills a sense of peace in us to know that God has our eternity planned.

This isn't just about seeing people we love again or having a good time in heaven--it's about recognizing that we need something only God can give us. He is the One that makes everything right again.

Greater Than: God > fear

Fear can be incredibly debilitating. It prevents us from growing, paralyzes us with indecision, and can wreck our concept of trust. It's not always an irrational fear, but can often be explained by our experiences as well.We can become fearful when we suffer through something traumatic and allow that moment to become the root of insecurity and a barrier to future decisions. When we refuse to address it we give it power over us that can sometimes bring our pace of life to an immediate halt.

I believe this inhibiting power is why God tells us that the fear of Him is the beginning of wisdom. It involves our recognition of God's divine omnipotence and a spiritual release when we see that no fear is greater than God's ability to overcome it. As we learn to respect and honor Him we will find that the dark shadows that have entrapped us for so long have been illuminated by truth.

Greater Than: God > life

Life is not always fair. This may be a reflection of circumstances beyond our control, the choices we have made or the things that have been done to us. We may feel trapped by this inequity and start to believe that there isn't a way out. 

This defeatist attitude doesn't reflect the life God created us to live and it ignores His ability to overcome the obstacles in front of us. To find freedom and healing we have to begin with our admission of His greatness over us & then take the next step and believe that He is greater than anything we face in life. This understanding is part of God's great plan to restore our broken hearts and set us free from captivity. How comforting is it to recognize that no part of our life holds power over God? In this freedom we will find the strength to stand tall and lift up our eyes to the King who calls us His children.

Greater Than: God > me

It can be difficult for us to admit that someone is better than we are at something. It requires humility as well as an honest sense of awareness. When we are confronted with our own limitations and recognize someones superiority, our response is not always positive. We tend to shut down or foolishly insist on pushing forward with less than satisfactory results.

I think it's the same reason we struggle in a genuine relationship with God. We have to readily admit that He is greater than we are. I think we know it, but we act as if we can manage our lives on our own just fine. How much better off would we be if we would realize that God is greater than we are and allow Him to actively work in our lives? This confession is the first step to God's majestic work being unleashed in us.

Greater Than

Forrest Gump said that life is like a box of chocolates--you never know what you're going to get. I beg to differ. I say that life is more like preparing for a week of middle school camp. You can write and creatively plan and things will end up going in a different direction than you anticipated. No matter how much time you spend putting together lists of supplies and equipment you will forget something. It is inevitable that you will experience technical difficulties with no obvious or logical explanation. The mix of campers and staff will always change and the resulting fluctuation in chemistry is highly unpredictable. And in spite of (or because of) all these roller coaster shifts, I love this week of camp.

This marks my 10th year doing middle school camp and I am just as excited about the start of the week tomorrow as I have been in previous years. I can't predict the details of what will happen, but I am trusting in the plan that God has put together and the people He will bring here. We may not know exactly how it will go, but I can assure you that it will be Greater Than we thought possible.