August News

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them? Yet you have made them a little lower than God, and crowned them with glory and honor. You have given them dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under their feet.” Psalm 8:3-6 This summer many of our youth were driven into the wilderness. We followed Biblical examples. The Hebrews were driven into the wilderness after escaping from Egypt. Although they struggled, they found God in the wilderness - a God who led them, provided for them, and taught them to be a community. Jesus went into the wilderness to prepare for his earthly ministry. In his struggles, he confronted his humanity and discerned his divinity. For centuries, Christians have gone on retreat into the natural world to seek understanding and clarity. Why go on wilderness camping trips? Are not mission trips more valuable? Both kinds of trips are important for our Christian spiritual growth. When we go into the wilderness, we gain a new perspective. Being in the wilderness connects us to the Creator God whose inconceivable imagination formed the masterpiece that is the natural world. Being in the wilderness helps us to connect with the beauty and power of creation and helps us to respect the genius and magnificence of our Creator God. This new perspective helps us to understand our role as caretakers of the world that God created. Going into the wilderness can help us to distinguish our needs from our wants. When we go camping, we have to leave many of our luxuries behind, and although we may not be as comfortable as we are at home, we find that we can manage very well. We also discover an appreciation and gratitude for those luxuries that we miss. We connect with our God who provides for our daily needs. We find our place–we see our humanity and recognize the divine all around and working in us. Finally, like the Hebrews, when we go into the wilderness, we become a community. In order to survive the wilderness, individuals must work together. Sharing a common experience helps us to learn about each other and about the God whose spirit brings us together. We share our struggles and joys. We work out disagreements because we have to keep living together; there is nowhere else to go. Wilderness experiences are important for our life of discipleship. As the psalmist expressed above, the natural world helps us to understand who we are – seemingly insignificant, yet crowned with God’s glory and honor. We are part of God’s big picture, and we are equipped to love and serve. Sara