Won't He Do It?

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“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

Maybe this verse is all too familiar to you.  Or maybe it’s not.  I have had a chance to spend some time reflecting on these words over the past couple of days.  These words remind me that Jesus transcends time.  He is not limited to constraints of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  These words remind me how I am to view my past, present, and future. 
When I look to my past, I am to remember what Jesus has done for me – dying on the cross to take on the punishment that my sin deserves.  He has saved me from a life of eternal separation from God and instead, given me a life full of hope.  At my small group last week we somehow got into the topic of adoption and how expensive it is.  But really, this is not such a new development.  Ephesians 1:4-7 explains that my adoption into God’s family was quite pricey, after all.  This knowledge of what Jesus did in the past should inform my present, helping me to live a life of gratitude and freedom, knowing that I am forgiven and redeemed. 
When I look to the future, I am to do so without fear.  God’s word tells me how it will all end, with Christ seated on the throne, and sin and death defeated.  I also know, though, that there will be a day of judgement in the future and this too informs my present.  How am I living to show Christ's love to those around me?  Am I seeking out every possible opportunity to share the gospel with the people in my life, not in an obnoxious way but in a way that shows that I believe this Good News to be the truth of God’s love for a sinful people?  If I’m honest, I forget to live with that perspective far too often.  This faith in what the Bible says about the future helps guide my steps in the day to day, reminding me that I have a purpose here on earth to love and glorify my Father.
This past weekend was our Virginia FCA Leadership Camp.  I spent last Thursday through Sunday in Scottsville, VA with limited cell phone reception.  The first 24 hours or so was spent training up college students to serve as huddle leaders for the 161 students, 58 of whom were from Loudoun County, who attended this leadership camp.  I won’t lie – camps are a lot of work.  We start planning for them eight months or more in advance.  Countless hours are spent in meetings and on conference calls planning out schedules and details, not to mention the hours that each staff member spends recruiting coaches, athletes, and huddle leaders to attend and serve. 
Huddle Leader Training - Digging into the Word before campers arrive.


All star Huddle Leader group, right here.

By the time we get to the camp itself, we know that we have several long days with little sleep ahead of us.  Still, we eagerly anticipate how the Lord will work.  We’ve seen Him do it before and, as the Elevation Worship song says, we know He will Do It Again.  Between Friday night and Sunday morning, we had roughly twenty students who gave first time commitments to follow Jesus Christ with their lives.  God moved mightily at Watermarks Camp this past weekend.  But even if only one student gave his or her life to Christ, all of the work still would have been worth it.  That is twenty students with hope for eternity and a relationship with Jesus forever.  Twenty students who went home Sunday nights to their families, friends, teams, and schools with a new purpose for their lives.  Oh that I would live each day of my life loving people well and displaying to everyone I meet that the same Jesus who redeemed my past, is giving me purpose for my present and hope for my future.  
The second students start arriving our huddle leaders get to work!

58 students and 5 coaches attended Leadership Camp from Loudoun
 

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