Pitch Your Tent

Thursday greetings,

Growing up I went to Camp Calvin in Hampton, GA every year.  I still recall singing Kumbaya, The Bear Went Over the Mountain, and Magalina Hagalina.  I loved every minute of the arts and crafts, cafeteria food, canoeing in the murky lake, and swimming in the huge pool.  Archery lessons were fun, and playing with the seemingly millions of tiny wood frogs was entertaining.  But my favorite part of camp was sleeping in the hogans.  A hogan is a hut made of logs and mud, and the ones we slept in where covered in canvas and smelled earthy.

The counselors, on the other hand, slept in tents.  Regular, pegs-in-the-ground tents that, if necessary, could be moved from location to location.  I remember thinking that we had the better end of the bargain as far as housing was concerned - until I learned the counselors regularly slept by the lake, by a fireplace, or out in the field under a thousand stars.

In other words, they had options that really enhanced their camping experience.  We do too.

"...I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope Acts 2:26 (The Message Version)."

Where are we going to pitch our tent?  Those camp counselors were smart; they didn’t set up over an ant's nest or muddy pit. It was always in a prime location. We have options too.  Are we going to dwell in the valley of fear? Or are we going to set up camp in the lush green meadows of joy and peace?

We pitch our tent in God’s blessed and hopeful land when we decide that no matter what is happening all around us, we will focus on our Lord and His goodness.  And if the going gets rough, we refuse to pull at the stakes and move our tent.

Prayer is the key to keeping us firmly rooted and focused on the Lord!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we have decided to pitch our tents in the land of blessings.  Whenever we are tempted to move out of that land into a negative one, use your holy hammer to drive those pegs deeper still so that we stay tethered to hope. As the source of everything good in our lives, fill us today until we are too full to move.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

A Safe Haven

Psalm 91:4 "He will cover you and completely protect you with His pinions, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness is a shield and a wall."

Greetings,

Jorge and I like the beach  -  especially early in the morning.  We always take a little wagon filled with towels, food, a radio, swim noodles, a radio, sunscreen etc...But the most important thing we take  -  the one thing that will enable us to enjoy our day  -  is our pop-up tent.  Positioned just right, it is the perfect barrier between us and the hot smoking sun.

God covers us as well.  He does so completely, and it's a safe haven.  No matter how hot it gets, we are protected and secure under His wings.   This happens when we pray, and we will always find refuge when we seek it.

Let us seek!

PRAYER: Dear Lord,  We look to You today to be our protector.  It is comforting to know that in an increasingly dangerous world, You keep us from evil and temptation.  When we are under Your wings, we are close to Your heart and that gives us peace.  How beautiful it is to pray and activate our faith in You.  In Jesus' name, Amen~

Where Are We Going to Pitch Our Tent?

Thursday greetings,

Growing up my parents would send me to Camp Calvin in Hampton, GA every year.  I still recall singing songs like , Kumbaya, The Bear Went Over the Mountain, and Magalina Hagalina.  I loved every minute of the arts and crafts, cafeteria food, canoeing in the murky lake, and swimming in the huge pool.  I used to climb all the way to the top diving board and jump into the deep end.  I also enjoyed all the relay races, group competitions, playing with the seemingly millions of tiny wood frogs, and the endless field of sunflowers that acted as shade when we would practice archery.  But my favorite part of camp was sleeping in the hogans.  A hogan is hut made of logs and earth, and the ones we slept in where covered in canvas, smelled earthy, and were secure.

The counselors, on the other hand, slept in tents.  Regular, pegs-in-the-ground tents that, if necessary, could be moved from location to location.  While we had to climb a few stairs to get into our hogans, at least we had a door we could shut.  The counselors simply unzipped the front of their tents to gain access, but I recall seeing a hole or two where a snake could easily crawl in.  I always wondered if the big black rat snake that was once dangling from the limb of a tree that was rooted on the shore of the lake and came perilously close to falling into a canoe that was paddling right under it, was still roaming around the property and looking for the warm body of a counselor to nuzzle against.  At least I knew it could not get into my hogan, and I always felt like we were getting the better end of the bargain as far as housing was concerned -- until I learned the counselors regularly slept by the lake, by a fireplace, or out in the field under a thousand stars.

In other words, they had options that really enhanced their camping experience, and we do too.

"...I’ve pitched my tent in the land of hope Acts 2:26 (The Message Version)."

Where are we going to pitch our tent?  Those camp counselors could have set up their tent over an ant's nest or muddy pit, but how wise of them to always pick a prime location.  We have those options as well.  It's up to us.  Shall we dwell in the valley of despair and fear? Or shall we set up shop in the lush green meadows and still waters of Psalm 23?

We pitch our tent in the far superior, healthier, immeasurably blessed land of hope when we decide that no matter what is happening all around us we will focus on our Lord and His goodness.  We refuse to pull at the stakes and move our tent when when the going gets rough.  We do as it states in 1 Corinthians 15:58 and, "stand our ground."

Prayer is the key to keeping us firmly rooted and focused on the Lord!

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We have decided to pitch our tents in the land of hope.  Whenever we are tempted to move out of that land into a negative one, use your holy hammer to drive those pegs deeper still so that we stay tethered to hope. As the source of hope in our lives, fill us today until we are too full to move.  In Jesus' name, AMEN~

Our Victory Song~

Tuesday greetings ~

Remember how at the beginning of Deborah's story Barak was hesitant to lead his army of 10,000 unless Deborah went with him?  She agreed because she wasn’t afraid to get in the fight, and this goes to show us all that women can be powerful in their families, jobs, and communities.  There is nothing wrong with that, but in this case God had already clearly said the enemy would fall, yet Barak wanted Deborah to come along anyway.  When God calls us to take the lead—man or woman—and we waffle, there is a price to pay.  In this case, Barak learned that ultimately, the leader of the opposing army, Sisera, would die at the hands of a woman.  Ouch!

And this is where our story picks up.  Sisera had “escaped on foot,” leaving all his troops to die.  He “ran to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, because Heber’s family was on friendly terms with King Jabin of Hazor.”  Sisera was the commander of King Jabin’s army, so Sisera, no doubt, felt confident that if Heber’s family was on friendly terms with the king, he would be safe.

Judges 4:18-20 “Jael went out to meet Sisera and said to him, "Come into my tent, sir. Come in. Don't be afraid." So he went into her tent, and she covered him with a blanket.”

“Please give me some water," he said. "I'm thirsty." So she gave him some milk from a leather bag and covered him again.” "Stand at the door of the tent," he told her. "If anybody comes and asks you if there is anyone here, say no."

Perhaps Sisera felt doubly safe in the tent of a woman, especially one so courteous and comforting. 

But…

Judges 4:21 “When Sisera fell asleep from exhaustion, Jael quietly crept up to him with a hammer and tent peg in her hand. Then she drove the tent peg through his temple and into the ground, and so he died.”

After this amazing victory – when Israel’s enemy was justifiably crushed – the people broke out in songs of joy. 

My prayer for us today is the last line of that victory song:

Dear Lord, “May all Your enemies perish, O Eternal One!  But may we who love You be like the sun, rising and going forth with power!”  AMEN!!!