If you want a peek into my mind...
I went to family camp for about 4 days this week and camped out. My crew occupied one of the two tents there all week, i felt privileged ::smiles:: I met some new friends, hung out with some awesome people, and worshiped an amazing God. Isnt' that what church camp is all about?
One of the many beauties I experienced these past few days happened in my tent. My tent-mates were not with me that night for various reasons so i had the tent to myself. Sprawled out across the bottom of the 7 foot by 7 foot mid-sized tent, I lay silent. It was raining. The sound of rain falling on the top of the tent sounded like clapping. I've never noticed that. I closed my mind and imagined a huge crowd on their feet and clapping. I felt a closeness with God, so much so that i pictured him as the recipient of this standing ovation. It sounds kind of cheesy, but it was as if nature was praising God physically as I basked in his glory while surrounded by darkness. I felt a peace and relaxation that made me wish I could sleep and enjoy this moment awake at the same time. This seemed to me a real life representation of nature crying out to God, instead of rocks it was the falling rain. God has interesting ways of catching our attention.
I was sitting on my porch today, watching mosquitoes fly around the geraniums in my front yard. I finished my water bottle as a mosquito approached me and hovered nearby, examining my existance. He watched from a fair distance, as far as distances go for mosquitoes, about 6 inches from my leg. He didn't look as if he was going to try to suck my blood, the nasty vampirical insect. Nevertheless i thought it would be amazing and impossible to catch him in my bottle. I decided to take a swipe, no harm in that, right? WOOSH i swung the bottle and TA DA! i caught him. I dont know if you understand how impossible it seems to catch a mosquito by swinging a water bottle, but i got him. Immediately i created an analogy, follow me on this one. Sin can catch us suddenly, even when we aren't close. Even when we're far enough away from it to seem safe to ourselves, satan can sneak up on us. Even when it seems against all odds that we could be caught, sin has a way. Once we're trapped it's hard to get out, pretty much impossible for us to do alone. You would need someone bigger and stronger to unscrew that bottle cap and set us free. I think you know who i'm hinting at.
One of the many beauties I experienced these past few days happened in my tent. My tent-mates were not with me that night for various reasons so i had the tent to myself. Sprawled out across the bottom of the 7 foot by 7 foot mid-sized tent, I lay silent. It was raining. The sound of rain falling on the top of the tent sounded like clapping. I've never noticed that. I closed my mind and imagined a huge crowd on their feet and clapping. I felt a closeness with God, so much so that i pictured him as the recipient of this standing ovation. It sounds kind of cheesy, but it was as if nature was praising God physically as I basked in his glory while surrounded by darkness. I felt a peace and relaxation that made me wish I could sleep and enjoy this moment awake at the same time. This seemed to me a real life representation of nature crying out to God, instead of rocks it was the falling rain. God has interesting ways of catching our attention.
I was sitting on my porch today, watching mosquitoes fly around the geraniums in my front yard. I finished my water bottle as a mosquito approached me and hovered nearby, examining my existance. He watched from a fair distance, as far as distances go for mosquitoes, about 6 inches from my leg. He didn't look as if he was going to try to suck my blood, the nasty vampirical insect. Nevertheless i thought it would be amazing and impossible to catch him in my bottle. I decided to take a swipe, no harm in that, right? WOOSH i swung the bottle and TA DA! i caught him. I dont know if you understand how impossible it seems to catch a mosquito by swinging a water bottle, but i got him. Immediately i created an analogy, follow me on this one. Sin can catch us suddenly, even when we aren't close. Even when we're far enough away from it to seem safe to ourselves, satan can sneak up on us. Even when it seems against all odds that we could be caught, sin has a way. Once we're trapped it's hard to get out, pretty much impossible for us to do alone. You would need someone bigger and stronger to unscrew that bottle cap and set us free. I think you know who i'm hinting at.