The Mountain of God

I’m a little bit late this week and I am pretty certain that this blog won’t be as long as normal. You see, I went to the mountain of God this week. Let me explain. 

There are many “mountains of God” in scripture. Horeb was specifically called the mountain of God in Exodus 3. There Moses was met  by God, commissioned by God, and qualified by God to lead Israel from their Egyptian bondage. In First Kings 18 Elijah confronted and defeated the prophets of Baal and Asherah on Mount Carmel. In the following chapter he fled from the wrath of Jezebel (who was the patroness of the afore-mentioned pagan prophets), finally arriving at Horeb, the Mount of God. 

In the New Testament we read about the Sermon on the Mount, The mount of  transfiguration, the Mt. Of Olives and the proverbial mountain which can be flung in the sea by prayerful faith. The best mountain in the entire Bible is of course Mt. Calvary where Jesus poured out His life so that we might be saved. 

In a figurative sense we all have “mountains of God” where our faith is enriched, our vision is cleared, our mission molded, and our devotion deepened. For me one those mountains is Oil Belt Christian Service Camp. I decided to become a Christian at Oil Belt and then was immersed at home the following Sunday. I decided to become a preacher during a week at Oil Belt Christian Service Camp. My faith nurtured and grew at Oil Belt. I met preachers, teachers, Bible College professors, Students, Missionaries and Ministers of all conceivable specializations. I learned to preach and teach at Oil Belt. In the old cafeteria I learned about ministry issues from ministry veterans and realized that  there was a fraternity of service there to enrich my own ministry. In the faculty lounge in the “new” dining hall I found the roles reversed as I now do my best to recruit, encourage, and train those tho are just entering the fraternity of preaching. 

I have worshipped at camp. I have heard great preaching at camp. I have witnessed transformation at camp. I have laughed harder and cried easier (relatively speaking). On the mount of God I have found my strength renewed. 

My camp experience is substantially different now than it was when I was a teen. For example I am really tired and sore! I have a wife who missed me while I was gone. In the 21^st century I am always available to people back home to at least provide counsel in unfolding ministry crises even if I cannot be physically present. Camp is not a vacation. It can be refreshing, but it is a work week for me. It is rewarding because I see youngsters changed by the Gospel. I hear the excitement in their voices when they realize that they can understand, enjoy, and memorize scripture. I see the sadness they feel when the week comes to an end. Camp can be life changing. 

So, I apologize for this short little post but not the reason for it’s brevity. You see, I’ve been to the mountain.