October 21 – Mathew 17 & Mark 9

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Matthew 15 & Mark 7. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Photo Credit: sean/mundy

Every year I spend a week at Butler Springs Christian Camp serving a week of camp with fourth and fifth graders. This is the first full week that campers come and spend an entire week, Sunday through Friday, at camp. One of the issues we always face is homesickness. For many this is their first time away from home without parents or other family members with them. For many this is their first time disconnected from technology. For many of them this is their first time really getting dirty, playing in the woods, and learning about Jesus. With all this new or different stuff going on homesickness can show up.

Jesus has spent around thirty years on this earth by the time we find Him in our reading today. He takes the three disciples of His inner development circle up onto the mountainside with Him. He leaves the remaining nine at their basecamp in town. On the mountain side God shows up in a powerful way along with Elijah and Moses. God shares with all present that Jesus is His son. For a brief moment Jesus is reminded that this earth, full of all its dirt and grime, its lack of glory, is not His home; He is just temporarily visiting.

Immediately on their return home Jesus is reminded of the differences between earth and heaven … He is certainly not in heaven any more. The disciples left behind have been unsuccessful at casting out a destructive demon from the body of a young boy. The father comes to Jesus asking Him to do what the disciples could not … heal His boy. Jesus then utters these harsh words … “You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me.” (Matthew 17:17 NLT) I wander what the tone and volume of these words was. Regardless Jesus is sharing His heart. Hours before He was reminded that this earth is not His home. He was in the presence once again of God and now He has returned to the grime of our lives. How He must have been homesick.

What caused Him to be here? It was His love for us and His desire to restore the relationship torn apart because of sin. Jesus put up with all the messed up stuff we offer so that He could do life with us again. For that I am thankful. 

July 21 – Hosea 8 - 9

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Hosea 8-9. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

This week I am at Butler Springs Christian Camp. I will have internet access, but it could be somewhat spotty. My goal will be to post each day at the verses to read. There may or may not be any devotional thoughts. Thank you for your understanding. 

Trash Can Baptism

Each year a group of West Side Christians, joined by others from area churches, assemble at Butler Springs Christian Camp in Hillsboro, Ohio to lead a week of camp for fourth and fifth graders. The week usually ends with a trip to the camps pool to baptize those who had come forward during the week. However, this year the week ended just a little differently.

This year’s week of camp was packed full of Bible lessons on the Armor of God, trips down the zip line, afternoons splashing in the pool, hiking to Fort Hill, worship around the Vespers fire, and so many other thrilling activities. While some things went as planned, others things did not. One afternoon we lost swim time, because of severe thunderstorms moving through camp, so instead we played dodge ball in the gym and watched a movie. Two evenings we found ourselves inside for vespers because of more severe storms. Flexibility became the theme of the week.

Through all the much needed rain, through the thunderstorms, God was still working in the hearts and minds of the campers. On Wednesday and Thursday night we had nine kids come forward expressing the desire to give their lives to Christ and be baptized. On Friday afternoon two more shared with us that they wanted to be baptized. It looked like we were going to baptize eight kids at camp with three planning to go to their home church. Everyone was gearing up for a big celebration on Friday night at the close of camp surrounding the pool.

And then, just as we were finishing up, another thunderstorm rolled in knocking out power. Needless to say baptisms in the pool were not going to take place. Fortunately Butler Springs is prepared for this ... in the event of thunderstorms, baptism take place in the cafeteria in a fifty-five gallon trash can. I have to admit I thought their plan sounded a little strange.

Before we started doing baptisms, three decided this was not the way they wanted to baptized, and to be honest, I couldn’t blame them. But then my mind completely changed. Gus, one of the full time camp staff members spoke about the origins of the trash can baptisms. In his explanation he said something that I hadn’t thought of. In an attempt to paraphrase him he said … “Just as a trash can holds and helps remove the unwanted tossed aside everyday household items, the imagery of baptism as a grave holds and removes the sins God is forgiving. What a fitting place to have your sins washed away and removed than in a trash can.” That statement made a profound impact on my attitude toward trash can baptisms.

My attitude was altered again when I got to watch four children be baptized and then completely changed when I got the privilege to baptize our own Tyler Land this way. What an awesome symbol of what happens to us in baptism. In the process of forgiving us our sin, God washed us clean, burying our sins in the watery graves of baptism. While my first inclination will always be a baptistery, swimming pool, or creek, if none of these exists then I will have no issue reaching for the nearest fifty-five gallon trash can.