I know Christmas is next week and I should probably write a blog about Jesus coming to earth as a baby. But honestly, I got a bit behind in my writing and just now got around to finishing my blog from October. So, here we go…
Caving adventure - the main highlight of our October day camp! After getting knee pads duct-taped in place, helmets fitted, headlamp batteries installed and a safety talk from our guides we began the crawl into Howard’s Waterfall cave in Trenton, GA. I love caves. They are a great place to *safely* climb, crawl and squeeze through passages, get dirty while seeing some amazing places that most people never see. And they make for great salvation analogies.
About halfway through our underground adventure, the guides collected our group of 20 adults and teenagers in a spot where the cave expanded into a cavern high and wide enough for everyone to sit up comfortably together. They instructed us to all turn out our lights. We could not see our hands in front of our faces! We tried to get the entire group to sit in silence. Anyone who has spent more than 5 minutes with a group of 14 teenage boys knows the silence did not pan out. The second it would get quiet, some jokester would try to get a laugh by making a crazy noise or the scary flashlight face. Nonetheless, we were all able to imagine for a moment what it would be like to exist in total darkness. I wouldn’t make it 10 feet without bumping into something or falling down a deep crevice!
This thought reminded me of my life before I came to trust in Jesus Christ. The wisest man to ever live, King Solomon, (1 Kings 4:29-34) wrote it this way “The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble.” (Proverbs 4:19) That was me! I did NOT KNOW what I was stumbling over! I chased money, sex, drugs, alcohol, prestige. I thought I was heading in the right direction but could never quite find any lasting satisfaction or peace. I had no idea why I consistently found myself tripping and stumbling through life. When anyone would ask me about Jesus, I would laugh and say that I did not need anyone to die for my sins. Me and God, we were tight. So I thought. Looking back, I cannot believe I actually said that. Oh, thank you, Lord for your mercy on my soul!
Once I realized that I was helpless and enslaved by my self-focused state, that I was blindly stumbling around in a twisted, dangerous cave, I knew I needed help. I will never forget the night when I literally cried out loud for Jesus Christ to come and help me. I told Him I was sorry for trying to do it without Him, sorry for being so selfish and hurting so many people. He came into my cave with a bright shining light, hugged me warmly, fed me and gave me a light to follow His way out into the sunshine and joyful life that He intended for me. I was a slave whose freedom was paid for. Will you accept your freedom and use it to walk in the light of the one who set you free?
“I was blind but now I see!” As thankful and joyful as I was to have been freed, I realized my freedom came with a responsibility to love others the way Jesus loved me. All Christians are called to put on our light and go into the darkness to share with others the truth that they were created by a loving God who desires to know them deeply. Sometimes that means loving and walking with someone for a while through some of their difficult behavior. Sadly, not all will accept the invitation. In the end it is the Lord that draws someone to trust Jesus (John 6:44). But God designed us to participate in His plans (Ephesians 2:10, James 2:14-26). What a privilege!
Ready to put on your helmet, headlamp and kneepads?
Give us a call here at Three Circles Foundation at 706-822-0166 if you are interested in learning more about the privilege of walking alongside youth from hard places.
Merry Christmas!