“You made us for yourself, o Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” – Augustine of Hippo
Recently, I had the joy of visiting an ancient Greek theater in Taormina, Italy. The theater sits in the saddle of a high ridgeline about 1000 ft above the ionian sea. The scenery is breathtaking: Mt. Etna, an 11000 ft volcano, dominates the distant horizon and the rough coastline stitching the scene together stirs up awe and wonder as I take it all in.
One thing that strikes me about this theater is that it sits on an island which has been conquered half a dozen times since these old seats were carved out of stone. The Greek elites who sat here nearly 2500 years ago surely thought their civilization would endure long into the future. How could they not have thought this? Their wealth was such that they could devote nearly unbelievable riches to the construction of majestic halls and centers entirely devoted to leisure while much of the rest of the ancient world was still preoccupied with putting the next meal on the table.
There is a lesson for us here. History teaches us that civilizations rise and fall unexpectedly and often. When it comes to the dealings of the world, we can count on little but constant change, hardship, and the certainty of passing on. Where then should our personal hope and encouragement lie?
“Put not your trust in princes”, says Psalm 146! But let us put our faith in He who does not change! There are places, rather, there is a Person, in whom we can put our hope. Camp exists to introduce our camp family to the one who is our anchor in the many storms of the world. When civilizations change and shift our Lord remains the same and his love for us, the way he speaks to our hearts, remains unchanged. Especially in this age of rapidly developing technology, let us reinforce the truth that God is the only one who brings us peace.
Psalm 146
Praise the Lord!
Praise the Lord, O my soul!
I will praise the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praises to my God while I have being.
Put not your trust in princes,
in a son of man, in whom there is no help.
When his breath departs he returns to his earth;
on that very day his plans perish.
Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord his God,
who made heaven and earth,
the sea, and all that is in them;
who keeps faith for ever;
who executes justice for the oppressed;
who gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets the prisoners free;the Lord opens the eyes of the blind.
The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down;
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the sojourners,
he upholds the widow and the fatherless;
but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
The Lord will reign for ever,
thy God, O Zion, to all generations.
Praise the Lord!
I recorded a short video reflection on this theme, included below. Love y’all and we are constantly praying for our camp family!
Peace and grace,
Adam