Last weekend we went to Devil’s Den for, as far as we can tell, our 13th straight year of family camping! Over the years it’s been hot, it’s been cold, and we have gotten wet! Some years some family members weren’t able to make it and others have joined us. It’s a lot of fun!
My brother Danny asked if I’d ever written about it and I said, “No, but maybe one day…”
Ding ding ding! The little bell went off when we were all sitting around the fire.
Now, I love campfires! I’m a bit of a firebug. My brother Doug was telling me he left some wood here and a fire starter there for the morning, and I said, “Why are you telling me? You think I’ll be up first?” And he said, “Oh, I know you will be.” Ha! He knows me well! (And I was!)
So, sitting around the campfire with the whole family we witnessed an occurrence that always happens around a fire. The smoke comes at a particular camper. The camper coughs and moves. The smoke follows. The camper moves completely around the campfire, half choking, half holding his breath, and the smoke follows like a lost little puppy. Why does this happen? I am not sure. But when brother Danny said, “Oh, the smoke will always find you”… that’s when the little bell dinged.
When Adam and Eve ate the apple they knew they’d messed up. They hid. And God Almighty called out, “Where are you?” It’s kind of like the question He asked Elijah twice, “What are you doing here?”
Now, make no mistake. God knows where we are and what we are doing 24/7. There’s not a second we are missing from his sight. It’s the easiest game of hide and seek ever!
Whether we are a lost sheep, a lost coin, or a lost son. He will always find us. And then he rejoices! He celebrates! He parties! Are we, his portion, really that big of a deal? The thing is, it’s not that we are just lost – in need to be found. In fact, we are dead – in need of life.
Ultimately, God is light, love, and life. Seems really easy and common to say, but it is truly mind-boggling.
“The LIGHT shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.” (John 1:5)
“But because of his great LOVE for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead…” (Ephesians 2:4)
“I am the way and the truth and the LIFE.” (John 14:6)
Make no mistake! God’s light. His love. His life. Will always find you!
As Job proclaimed, so do I! “Oh, I know my Redeemer lives.” Why should I gain from His reward? I cannot give an answer. But my smoky, choking, dead heart is thankful!