Tags
1 Corinthians 12:4-12, Christian Service, faith, good works, James 1:22-25, Machen Retreat and, Machen Science Camp
I just returned from my fourth year of organizing and teaching a Science Camp at Machen Retreat Center in McDowell, VA. What a privilege I have to work with a team of people, that God provides and puts together, each with their own unique gifts and talents, yet all working to serve and glorify our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ. I know I shouldn’t be surprised, but it never ceases to amaze and awe me that God puts together a team of people, many who have only met each other via email, and works through them to serve these campers. I am reminded of Paul’s description of the Church as a body in his first letter to the Corinthians:
Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone. To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)
When God crafts a team to do his work, and empowers it with his Spirit, He does so perfectly. Each person is brought for a unique reason. Every individual has unique qualifications and gifts. And all are blessed by God’s plan.
To the World, it might seem odd to say that we were blessed by driving to a remote area (you lose cell phone service about 50 minutes out from camp), working non-stop for 5 and a half days, having sleep interrupted, rising early, staying up late, and cooking and cleaning up after 50 people. But with God’s Spirit empowering and anointing the service, it becomes a joy. And though I may be physically tired, I come away spiritually refreshed.
I know that people find this on mission trips, when you serve “the least of these”, and feel like you make a difference in someone’s circumstances and share the Gospel with them. The students as Science Camp are not starving (except the growing boys at mealtime), are not ill (unless they get injured or have minor ailments) and do not lack shelter (Machen has wonderful cabins and facilities). But they still need the Gospel, as we all do. And they need to see how mature faith acts. As James says: But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:22-25)
It is a joy for me that God connects me with others who want to serve and live out our faith in front of these young people, and allows me to share my faith in Christ and my love of God’s detailed creation. And my trust that He is the one leading and empowering the work gives me peace about what is going to happen….even when I think we are lacking something vital, like enough counselors. He provides! I think the same manner of thinking is true for the others who come to work at Science Camp. We come together to work for God’s Glory and He gives us strength, perseverance, and blessing. And He always gives us a tech guy too!
So have I convinced my readers of the joy and blessing in working in the body of Christ yet? Ask God to show you where he has for you to serve, and become a doer of the word, not a hearer only! And if you want to serve at next year’s Science Camp, you know how to contact me. If you teach Chemistry of Physics, you might be the “hand” we need.
Soli Deo Gloria,
Diane