Going through the life of Christ every day this week in Bible study for Summer Bible Camp reminds me that Jesus was truly a human! He experienced life and the craziness of dealing with imperfect flawed sinners! He experienced the need for connecting with God to be recharged and ready to continue to pour out into people. The cool thing is scripture continuously provides examples of times Christ set aside time for just Him and God! Even Jesus demonstrated that without God it is impossible! WE CANNOT DO IT! It reminds me of Hebrews 11:6 where Scripture reminds us we need HIM! 

Hebrews 11:6(ESV)

6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

The cool thing I see is that “hunger for God” started young in Jesus! We studied Jesus’ childhood this week! We dug into the story of Jesus going to the temple this week.  We experienced the obvious plot of Jesus being separated from His family and how He and His parents handled the situation.  Then we also saw another part that could easily be overlooked! Jesus was hungry for God’s word, truth, community, and presence! Jesus was so consumed with God that he didn’t realize it had been a whole day of studying God’s word! That hits me hard! So often I struggle to study God’s word for a few minutes in the morning! But, Jesus was so consumed that he went all day! It is my deepest prayer that I would develop a true thirst for truth that I could never grow weary of God’s word and seeking Him independently. Jesus needed that time to let his roots grow deep and anchor himself firmly for the trials ahead! This reminds of how, in Psalms, David describes that when we let our roots be filled from the streams we do not grow dry! When we delight in seeking God’s word we are quenched and able to produce fruit! 

Psalm1:1-3(ESV)

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers.

Even during his ministry he continued to make time to pursue God! If Jesus had to take time to pursue God and prepare to be poured out (over and over and over again), then so do we! In order to radiate the light of Christ we must take time to pursue God and be refreshed and ready to continue pouring into people! Seeking God first is the only way that we will not grow weary! 

Summer Bible Camp is just beginning! We have 6 more weeks to go! Taking time to seek and be refreshed is the only way any of us will make it through camp this summer! I am praying strongly that every single staff member and volunteer that steps foot on our grounds will remember to take time to be refreshed this summer! I am praying that Light of the Village will be filled with individuals that remember to draw from the true source! That God will strengthen us and equip us to run the race and finish it with the same energy and enthusiasm we started with! Alone that is impossible! BUT WITH GOD IT IS POSSIBLE! 

Hebrews 12:1b(ESV) “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us” 

So that… The LIGHT shines in the darkness, and the darkness has NOT overcome it. John 1:5 (ESV)