RYC, part 1

Before RYC (my denomination’s church camp for middle and high school that meets just outside of central Florida) I had some trepidation because it was turning into a huge ordeal for us to go, or at least that’s what it felt like, and it was going to be the longest I’ve ever been away from my son. It crossed my mind a time or two to just not go. Boy am I glad I didn’t let that thought take root.

One of my favorite moments out of all the amazing things that went on happened the first night, and I knew this was where I was supposed to be that week. It was time for our first evening large group, with worship songs led by Danny Iverson and preaching by Pastor Bill Welzien. We finished singing a song and Danny started to lead us in “Be Thou My Vision”. The slide with the lyrics wasn’t up yet but it didn’t matter because everyone knew it by heart. For the first verse, everyone sang it without the words up and sang it loud. There were less than 100 people in the room but it sounded like several hundred voices lifted up in worship of our God and Savior. It was so moving, and I kept thinking as we sang how much Satan must hate it and of our Father listening, smiling, at His children. I will never forget that moment.

The preaching came next. The theme for camp was Breaching the Darkness and all the messages in our morning and evening large group sessions were on this idea, starting with Genesis 1 where God separates the light and the darkness. Pastor Welzien took us from there all through the scriptures on how that is God’s purpose throughout time, until the final judgment, and what it means to be in the light, and at many examples of light and dark imagery in the Bible. He pointed out that the scripture doesn’t give time to trying to give proofs that God exists; it’s assumed to be self-evident, and you either accept it or you don’t, and it remains the truth regardless.

In preparation for instruction from God’s Word, he took us to Psalm 32:8-9, which says “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;I will counsel you with my eye upon you. Be not like a horse or a mule, without understanding, which must be curbed with bit and bridle, or it will not stay near you.”
Proverbs 30:1-4 which says
“The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle.
The man declares, I am weary, O God; I am weary, O God, and worn out. Surely I am too stupid to be a man. I have not the understanding of a man. I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!”

And lastly Psalm 33:4-9 “For the word of the Lord is upright, and all his work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord. By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap; he puts the deeps in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him! For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.”

The challenge was to recognize that God is God, and He is orderly, careful, wise, personal, deliberate, and good. What He makes is good, what He says is good, what He does is good, and by rejecting His word we choose to remain stupid and in the dark.

After that we looked at Psalm 119:104-105 and 130 which say, “Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path… The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” And then Proverbs 4:18 which says “But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day.” The contrast to that is the wicked, who are in deep darkness. The next morning we went to the New Testament, in John 3, and Christ entering the world to bring judgment, but I will write about that in another entry. Coming soon: fig leaves, dinosaur skin, and CCM. Oh, and Crisco. Stay tuned!