JUN 7

Nehemiah 8:1-3
Memorise Nehemiah 8:3
“And the ears of all the people were attentive unto the book of the law”

ARE CHURCH BIBLE CAMPS IMPORTANT?

The annual Family Bible Camp is certainly a much looked-forward-to event on every teen’s calendar. Some enjoy hanging out with their friends at camp and staying up late every night to talk and have fun. Some may even see these camps as a way of having a cheap holiday in Malaysia! What about you?

Going back to the same chapter in Nehemiah, we read in today’s passage that the people “gathered themselves together as one man”, awaiting the preaching of God’s Word. Ezra read from the book of the law “from the morning until midday”, literally from sunrise until noon – a good 6 or so hours! And it was not just the adults – besides the “men and the women”, there were also “those that could understand” i.e. some children who were old enough to also understand the preaching. Doesn’t that sound like a sort of church camp? At camps, the entire church assembles in one place, as one body in Christ. We enjoy a spiritual buffet throughout the entire day – morning devotions first thing in the morning, messages and group discussions after that, Bible quizzes and other activities in the afternoon, another message at night followed by more fellowship activities, before we retire for the night. For 5 days in a row! And since it is a family camp, the entire family is involved, from adults to children, youths and teens, babies and grandparents etc.

Truly what a tremendous blessing church camps are! Far beyond just a holiday or a time of relaxation, it is a wonderful time of spiritual feasting and blessed fellowship with likeminded brethren. There is much value in a purposeful setting aside of time for an in-depth and continuous study of God’s Word, within a gathering of fellow believers who all have this shared desire and focus. Being immersed in God’s Word, among God’s people, to do God’s work – some have described church camps as being a foretaste of heaven, and I’d tend to agree!

Dear teen, do you look forward to church camps? If yes, why? What are your motivations for attending camps? If no, why not?

Thought: What you long for reveals your soul. Do you long for church camps?
Prayer: Lord, let me have the right motives and attitude when attending church camps.