Going Camping

Matthew 8:20 – Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." (NIV)

Camping in Alaska can be a great adventure. There is so much open land here that it is very easy to get away from everything. On a recent camping trip I took with my family, we wanted to go to a spot where we would be alone. In order to reach this spot, we had to travel a very rough dirt road. Along the way, I was not sure if we were going to make it, on account of the mud. We reached a spot where we could not continue on the road, so we pitched camp. I had a great time camping at the remote location, but it was not an easy task to get there. We did make it through the difficulties, and enjoyed ourselves.

Following Jesus is not always easy, either. My wife and I had a very difficult time figuring out what that meant for us. In our case, we had to pack up and move across country. In the process of doing so, we left behind many friends. We gave up a comfortable home, and moved into the basement of my wife's parents' home. At one point, we started to wonder if we had made a big mistake. The time came, though, when we had the opportunity to buy our own home and get back on our feet. We joined a church, which really changed our lives. Even though following Christ was not easy, we have received great benefits from doing so. I have the opportunity to serve the Lord, and I know that there will be treasure waiting for me in heaven.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for showing us how great it is to follow you. Thank you for showing us that it is not always easy to follow you, but the rewards for following you cannot be matched. In Jesus' name. Amen.