Outdoor Object Lesson 75: A Camel's Burden

Key Text

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:29 (WEB)

Lesson

What has four legs, a long neck, and a hump? If you guessed a camel than you are correct. Camels are instantly recognizable for their unique shape and iconic hump. They are truly amazing animals with features that allow them to survive and thrive in harsh, barren deserts. Camels are best known for their legendary ability to survive a long time without needing to drink water. Camels routinely go several days or more without drinking any water. Even more surprising is that they can go for several months without any food! How do they do that?

Many people mistakenly think camels store water in their humps. Rather, fat is stored in their humps and provides energy when they go without food. Camels do not have a large empty space in their body to store extra water like some internal water battle. Instead their body (specifically their cardiovascular system, kidneys, and other organs) is extremely efficient at retaining and managing water. God gave camels special tools to enable them to go without water for many days. This ability makes camels very important animals for people who live in desert places.

Camels are mentioned numerous times throughout the Old Testament as a means of transportation. Jesus would have been very familiar with camels. He may have even ridden one. Camels are still an important means of transportation in Israel and the Middle East today. They carry heavy burdens for their owners. But if you have ever seen a picture of a camel, then you may remember they have very long legs! Most camels are 5-7 feet (1.6-2 meters) high and are taller than many horses.1 So how does an owner put a camels burden on and take it off each day?

In the morning, the camel must kneel down so that its owner can load the days burden onto its back. A good owner knows just how much the camel can carry for the days journey. After being loaded the camel gets up again to carry his burden for the day. The camel then simply follows his owner who has the greater burden of leading the way safely through the desert. At the end of the day, the camel kneels down again so his owner can remove the burden and the camel can rest. This is exactly how it is when we follow Jesus. When Jesus is our owner he promises to bear our burdens (Psalm 68:19). In turn he asks us to bear his burdens. He will take responsibility for leading us through the desert of life. He says in the key text that when we take his burden that he will place them on us gently. He also promises to give us rest from our burdens, all we must do is simple kneel each night and let him remove them.

Questions

Have you ever seen a camel in real life? If so what did you think about it?

How do we kneel down and let Jesus remove our burdens?

What did Jesus mean in the key text (Matthew 11:29) when he said take my yoke upon you?

Do you think it is easier to bear the burden Jesus gives us?



Sources:

1: “Camel,” San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants online, accessed October 7, 2018. https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/camel.



Written by David F. Garner

Photo credit: dimitrisvetsikas1969 via www.pixabay.com

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 57: Keep The Flame Burning

Key Verse

“So then, my beloved, even as you have always obeyed, not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12 WEB

Lesson

The Protestant Reformation was about telling people about salvation by faith alone. John 3:16 clearly states that whoever believes in Jesus will be saved. So why is there a verse in Philippians talking about working out your own salvation? We can not earn salvation, right? This is true, but there is more to it.

If you have ever built a fire, or seen one built then you know it takes some work. First you need a safe place to build a fire such as a fire ring. Next you need to gather all the materials. You will need to gather several different sizes of wood, some tinder, and a fire source such as a match. Once you gather all the wood you need to separate it into different sizes and make sure it is dry. Once this is done you are ready to begin building your fire.

First put the tinder down in the center. Tinder can be things such as lint, wood shavings, or dry grass. Next add the kindling. Kindling are small twigs and sticks that will catch fire quickly. Finally, you can position the fuel wood around the kindling. This is the big pieces that will keep the fire going for a long time. Now you can strike the match and light the fire. But as you probably already know, your job is still not done. Once the tinder is lit, you must blow and fan the flame so it can grow. You must constantly tend the fire to keep it alive or it will go out. Once you have a roaring fire you must still stoke it and add more fuel.

Following Christ is a lot like building a fire. We receive salvation in an instant and we can do nothing to earn that gift. It is a spark that sets a spiritual fire in our hearts. But as Paul says in Philippians 2:12 we must work to keep the flame alive. We must fight against the temptations of our sinful nature. We must make it a priority to spend time with Jesus. We cannot earn God’s forgiveness. It is free. But we must work to live the way God asks us after we receive salvation to keep the fire in our hearts alive as long as we live. The best part is God will freely give us the strength to do so!

Questions

What did Jesus mean when he said, “take up your cross and follow me” in Matt. 16:24?

How do we receive God’s free gift of salvation?

What is the spark that sets a spiritual fire in our hearts?

What happens if we die before we have a chance to work on living the way God expects?



Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: Alexas_Fotos via www.pixabay.com

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 12: Leave the Past

Key Verse

"Don’t remember the former things, and don’t consider the things of old." Isaiah 43:18 (WEB)


Lesson

The past is often appealing. Going back to the good ol’ days or the way things used to be is something we all long for at some point. We can spend so much time reminiscing or thinking about memories. We can loose track of time wrapped up in special or funny memories. We can also spend a lot of time with regrets.

As humans we have a tendency to long to go back in the past and fix our mistakes. If we could just have another chance we would get it right. It seems like it would be a good thing if we had the ability to go back.

The kangaroo is an interesting animal. God gave them the ability to hop very fast. Kangaroos can hop comfortably at about 12-15 miles per hour (19-24 km/h). Humans have to run to go that fast. Kangaroos can go as fast as 44 miles per hour (71 km/h)! No human has ever run that fast! God gave kangaroos an amazing forward speed, but he did not give them the ability to hop backwards. Because of the shape of their legs they are unable to go backwards.

God gave us the ability to move forward in time. However, we are unable to go backwards in time. God knew it would be better this way. He wants us to forgive others and ourselves for mistakes we have made and move forward. He does not want us to get stuck wishing we could change the past. Isaiah 43:18 encourages us to let the past stay in the past. It is good to learn from the past. But we should not constantly remember it or consider it. Instead we should focus on the present and future.


Questions

What event from the past do you wish you could change?

Do you have burdens or scars from the past you wish could go away?

What does Jesus promise if we bring those burdens and scars to him? See Matthew 11:28, Psalms 55:22

Sources

http://www.speedofanimals.com/animals/kangaroo

http://animals.mom.me/animals-cannot-walk-backwards-3794.html


Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: ALEXANDER RODRIGUEZ (aka alexanders)

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 11: Shine Your Flashlight

Key Verse

"Neither do you light a lamp, and put it under a measuring basket, but on a stand; and it shines to all who are in the house." Matthew 5:15 (WEB)

Lesson

We don’t use candles much anymore today. When traveling outdoors they are not very useful. Instead, we use battery-powered lights such as flashlights and headlamps. Headlamps are very useful tools. They leave the hands free to complete tasks while still providing light exactly where it is needed.

In Matthew 5 we find the familiar Beatitudes Jesus preached during the Sermon on the Mount. In verse 15 Jesus is discussing the Light of the World. Jesus says that we are the light of the world in the previous verse. In His sermon, he makes a very valid point, when you turn a light on, you don’t cover it up. The same would go for a headlamp. You don’t turn it on and then stuff it back in your backpack; that would not do you any good. You could have left it at home and saved weight.

In this example the physical light represents the spiritual light of truth we as Christians have. The spiritual light is exactly what Jesus mentions earlier in this chapter in the Beatitudes—humility, kindness, mercy, peace making. What is funny, is that often, as Christians, we keep the light to ourselves. We read our bibles and go to church, but we keep what we learn to ourselves. We don’t display the light of truth at school or work through our actions. Sometimes our desire to fit in overcomes our desire to share the light we have received.

Its like we have a really nice, expensive headlamp, but instead of bringing it out at night to use around camp, we take it out under cover of our sleeping bags and just stare into it. That’s pretty stupid! We need to use our light and share the light with others.

Of course it is easy to know when you are using your headlamp, you can see the light. But sometimes it is hard to know if we are using our spiritual light. I mean we know when we are living a “good” life because we are not doing anything wrong. But how can we tell if we are sharing our light with other people? How do you know when you have been using your headlamp or flashlight? Of course, the battery starts to run low. You know you have been using it a lot when its time to recharge or change the batteries.

It is the same in our spiritual life. We can know if we have really been sharing our spiritual light when we feel the need to be close to God, to recharge. Jesus spent a lot of time alone in prayer to his Heavenly Father. Why was this? Because he spent a lot of time sharing light through his actions. When we openly practice humility, show kindness to the person others make fun of, have mercy on those who hurt us, and make peace with others, it will cause us to desire more time with God and in his Word.

Questions

What are some other ways to share the spiritual light we have?

Is it wrong to keep the light of truth we have to ourselves?

What are good ways to recharge our spiritual batteries?

Written by David F. Garner
Photo credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 10: Life's Map and Compass

Key Text

“Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 (WEB)


Lesson


What is the allure of backcountry travel and recreation? For many it is the unknown, the sense of facing uncertainty and overcoming. There is a challenge in going to an unfamiliar place and surviving. The challenge is thrilling and enlivening. There is always an inherent amount of risk. The key is keeping the level of risk manageable.

There are many tools used by outdoorsman to manage risk and overcome challenges. Wearing proper clothing, carrying shelter, using a water filter, and having a fire source are all essential, fundamental ways of overcoming obstacles. But perhaps the most fundamental and clearly necessary tools are the map and compass.

The map and compass are what make outdoor travel possible. They have been in use for thousands of years. They are still in use today, perhaps more than ever before. Today the map and compass may look different but are still used together in a digital form called GPS. There is a map on the screen and an electronic compass telling direction.

Map and compass are so fundamental for good reasons. They enable us to travel to a previously completely unknown destination and find our way as if we have been there a dozen times. A skilled navigator can even get completely lost in the wilderness and pinpoint their location on a paper map with observation of the surrounding area. Map and compass or GPS allow us to travel confidently into the unknown because we trust the information they provide to be correct and reliable.

Another word for trust is faith. Hebrews 11:1 says faith is the evidence of things not seen. Faith is trusting that the Map and Compass for our life are correct and reliable. When we read the Bible stories about God's faithfulness we can have trust or faith that his promises are reliable. The more we follow the paths and trails on a map, the more confident we become that the map and compass are trustworthy. As we walk the Christian path we learn from experience that God’s Word is faithful. 

As our faith grows, it becomes the assurance of things we hope for such as heaven and Christ’s soon return. As we experience God’s steadfastness to his followers our faith becomes the proof of things we cannot see such as God’s providence and protection.


Questions

Have you ever had to rely on a map and compass or GPS? If so, did you doubt their accuracy? Or did you doubt your ability to use them?

Have you ever doubted the reliability of God’s Word? Or maybe you doubted your ability to have faith in God’s Word?

Do you long to have the type of faith described in Hebrews 1 that gives hope for things not seen?

What can you do to improve your faith in a map and compass? What can you do to increase your faith in God and his Word?


Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 9: The Raincoat of Faith

Key Verse

“above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.” Ephesians 6:16 (WEB)


Lesson

Note: An umbrella could be substituted for a rain-jacket as the object in this lesson.

If you have ever had to depended on a rain jacket in a storm, than you have no doubt been thankful for it’s ability to repel water. Or perhaps you have spent a wet, stormy night outside and been grateful for a dry tent. What makes it possible for these fabrics to repel water?

A lot of technology goes into the fabrics that keep us dry in the rain. We often take this technology for granted. But the waterproof fabrics we enjoy today have only been around for a few decades. Before modern things like Gortex and Nikwax, raingear and tents were made of much heavier fabrics and often were not as water resistant.

Modern waterproofing methods are the result of years of research and constant improvement. That is one reason why good waterproofing is so expensive! If you have been kept dry by a nice raincoat or tent, then you probably felt it was worth the high cost and extensive work put into its design. The same is true for a warrior and his shield. What warrior would not purchase the best shield and amour he could afford? This is indeed a situation to buy the brand name and not the generic off-brand!

Paul, in Ephesians 6:16, compares faith to a warrior’s shield. A shield is the first line of defense against the enemy. Likewise a raincoat is the first line of defense against foul weather. Here we see the first comparison to faith, it is our first line of defense against the Enemies attacks.

Both a warrior and a camper want their gear made with skill. Skill takes time and practice to acquire. This is the second comparison, and a key reason, why Paul likens faith to armor. We must spend time exercising and developing our faith just like a craftsman would his skill. We need to read and memorize the promises of God so they are available when we need them. You would not venture into the woods without a raincoat if you knew there was a chance of rain. Neither should we go about without God’s promises when we know there is a good chance we will need to exercise our faith.

Questions

Did you pack your raincoat of faith today?
What is another way raingear is like our faith in God?
Has your faith ever protected you in a storm?
Does our faith make life's storms easier to weather?


Written By David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 8: Lightning and Salvation

Photo Credit: Brennon Garner

Key Verse

"for by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, that no one would boast." Ephesians 2:8-9 WEB

Lesson

Lightning can be both scary and beautiful. But have you ever wondered which direction lightning travels? Does it travel from the sky to the ground? Or does it travel from the ground to the sky? Most will likely answer from the sky to the ground. When watching lightning this is often how it appears.

Scientists tell us something slightly different. Those who answered lightning travels from the ground to the sky are not incorrect. In fact, lightning can travel either direction. The most common direction is from sky to ground. This is what we usually see. But when lightning strikes really tall things like trees or towers lightning actually travels from ground to sky.

Lightning is even more complicated than this. When lightning travels from the sky to the ground, it actually travels in both directions at the same time. One bolt of lightning travels from the sky towards the ground. As it does it attracts a small bolt up from the ground and they meet in mid air. In fact the part we see as the lightning bolt is the part traveling from the ground up to the sky.

This is an amazing example of salvation. The well-known text in Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that we can never earn salvation on our own through works. It is God’s gift. But we must respond. 1 John 1:9 informs us that if we confess our sins, then God can forgive them. God reaches down like a lightning bolt to our hearts to offer us a hope and eternal life. And just as the lightning attracts a response from the ground, so God’s offer of salvation, when truly felt, attracts a response from us to confess our sins and accept his offer.

However, it does not end there. Philippians 2:12 says we must work to show the results of our salvation. This will never earn us the right to salvation. But when we have been forgiven and changed by God’s gift, we become a new creation. We long to do God’s will by following his example. Just like the lightning, the gift must go both ways. God must first offer salvation, then we must accept and offer our sins to be forgiven and change our ways. We can take comfort in knowing that God will continue to offer forgiveness even when we mess up.

Questions

How does seeing lightning make you feel?

Have you experienced God’s forgiveness and confessed your sins?

Do you think your salvation is sure even when you don't feel like your saved?

Source

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/education/svrwx101/lightning/faq/

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 7: Cheating Scales

Key Verse

“A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.” Proverbs 11:1 KJV

Lesson

You are preparing for a six-day backpacking trip in the mountains with a group of friends. You know you should not carry more than one third of your weight on your back. So you are doing your best to pack light. You have tried to only take what is absolutely necessary. You have all weighed your packs. Now you are planning your food for the trip. You all worked together to share food and come up with a menu to keep your food weight down. You and your group have estimated you each need 1.7 pounds of food per day. Because you already weighed your pack you know it should be 10.2 pounds heavier with the food.

As you shop you keep stopping by the produce section to weight your food items on the produce scale. You check out and leave the store happy you have achieved your goal. Then you get home and split up all the food between the group members. Everyone packs the remaining items and starts weighting their packs. They are quite a bit under weight! At first you are happy, until you realize why they are under weight.

You do not have 10.2 pounds of food in your backpack. This means your backpack might be lighter, but you do not have enough food for the trip. You will go hungry. You think back and try to figure out what happened. You recall that you weighed all the food on the store scale. There is only one explanation. The store scale was not accurate. It said the food was heavier than it really was.

Proverbs 11:1 says, “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is his delight.” In Bible times all food was sold by weight. Sometimes merchants would purposely make their scales inaccurate so they could cheat people out of money. Cheating is what God hates. The large grocery stores today would probably not purposely make their scales inaccurate. But if you discovered they did not check them and readjust them when they became inaccurate how would that make you feel? You would feel cheated of course. Cheating may seem harmless at first. Cheating in a game doesn't physically harm anyone, right? But cheating can cause real harm. This would become apparent when you started to run out of food before your backpacking trip was over. God hates cheating because it is dishonest. Cheating always causes harm. Honesty always brings delight.

Questions

How can we apply Proverbs 11:1 to our lives today?

Does being honest mean we have to say everything we are thinking?

How should a Christian treat a cheater?

How can you fix the cheating you have done in the past?


Written by David F. Garner
Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 6: The Power of Small Things

Key Text


"He said to them, "Because of your unbelief. For most certainly I tell you, if you have the faith as a grain of mustard seed, you will tell this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20 (WEB)

Lesson

In nature, it often seems like the biggest things are in control. The biggest animals are at the top of the food chain. Big mountains can keep us from traveling quickly in the direction we wish to go. Big storms can destroy mighty trees like they are toothpicks.

But small things in nature have power too. There is a phenomenon known as the butterfly effect. It is a theory that says if one little butterfly flaps its wings at just the right time, the air it moves with its wings can grow and grow and become a strong wind. So strong in fact it may blow away a storm so it doesn’t damage anything. Did you know a butterfly had that much power?

There are other ways small things have great power in nature. Water seems pretty powerless against rock. But over time water can erode away even the strongest rock so there is no rock left.

A tiny little seed can grow into a mighty tree. Its roots can grow so strong that they can crack rock and concrete! Then the tree can produce more seeds until is starts a whole forest.

God has given each of us incredible power too. Even if we feel small and insignificant, we have strong power in our words and actions. A simple smile or kind word can turn someone’s day into a positive one. Helping a stranger carry things or open the door can show them the love of Jesus. Jesus said in Matt. 17:20 that if we have faith the size of a tiny mustard seed in Him than we can move mountains! Jesus told us this so that whenever we feel small we can remember that we have great power. We have the greatest power of Jesus on our side.

Questions

What small acts can you do that would have big effects?

How can we gain faith the size of a mustard seed?

Written by David F. Garner
Photo Credit: Brennon Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 5: The Rope Of Eternity

Key Text


"Don't you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win." 1 Corinthians 9:24 WEB


Lesson

Frances Chan uses a great object lesson is some of his sermons. It is a powerful lesson, especially when done by yourself rather than just seeing or hearing it. So grab a piece of rope if you have on handy, if not picture one in your mind. To do the illustration for yourself, take a piece of long rope, at least 20 feet or 6 meters if possible. This works best if you can stretch the rope out in a straight line. If you are unable that is OK, stretch it out as much as you can. Now grab the very end of the rope so that only a few inches stick past your hand. In other words, hold the rope just a few inches from the end. Do you have it? Look at the rest of the rope. Now look back at the part of the rope in your hand.


Chan compares the rope to a timeline of our life. The few inches of rope between the end and your hand represents our life hear on earth. The rest of the rope represents eternity! Think about this for a minute. Our short time on earth is just a tiny amount of the millions of years of eternity! Chan says, "What blows me away is that some of you, all you think about is [those first few inches]. Its all you think about, your consumed with it." How can we be so short sighted?


Paul gives some very critical advice in 1 Cor. 9:24-27. This is where he likens our life on earth to a race. He points out that we should run in such a way that we will receive the prize of eternal life. We need to stay as focused as someone training for the biggest race of their life to make sure that in the end we are not disqualified.


Like the short amount of rope in hand, we often get distracted with worries of this life. We are concerned about getting a new pair of nice shoes or the newest smartphone. When we grow up we can get completely focused on making money or saving enough for retirement. We need to keep perspective. Our childhood or adulthood is only a couple inches of rope compared to eternity! Psalms 103:15 says our lives are like blades of grass that are hear today and gone tomorrow. What we do in this short, short life determines how we will spend eternity. Remember that every time you grab a piece of rope.


Questions


What are some specific things we can do in our life to make sure we are running our best to reach heaven?

How can we stay focused on eternity and avoid getting distracted by this short life?

What types of things distract you?

What types of things motivate you to stay focused on the race for heaven?


Sources


Frances Chan "What Are You Living For?" Rope Illustration, produced by Nate Hanson,

Apr 1, 2010 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86dsfBbZfWs.




Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lesson 4: How Many Drops to Forgiveness

Key Verse


"Jesus said to him, "I don't tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven." Matthew 18:22 WEB


Lesson


There is a Hawk Nelson song called Drops in the Ocean. One of the lines in the chorus says, “If you could count the times I’d say you are forgiven It’s more than the drops in the ocean.” Pause a minute to ponder that. Now let's see if we can calculate how many drops are in the ocean. If we use the SI volume unit of one drop (gtt) then there are 75,708.2 drops in one gallon (US). Do you think you have sinned that many times in your life? Let's see if we can figure out how many gallons might be in one of the world’s oceans. The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world’s five oceans. It is about 10 times smaller than the Pacific Ocean which is the biggest.1 The Arctic Ocean has about 5 quintillion gallons (US). That is a 5 with 18 zeros after it (4.95 x 10^18) (18,750,000 km3).*

I can’t even imagine a number that big. It is beyond comprehension. I don’t know if I will, but I hope I don’t sin that many times in my life! But we haven’t even finished our calculation yet. If we multiply 4.95 x 10^18 (18,750,000 km3)* or 5 quintillion gallons by 75,708.2 drops per gallon than that equals… are you ready… 3.75 trevigintillion drops (3.75 x 10^23). I don’t even know how to say that word --trevigintillion! To illustrate this incomprehensible number, here is a simple example. If you sinned 1000 times per second, it would take you 118.8 million years to sin as many times as there are drops in the Arctic Ocean. What an incredible God we serve!

Peter asked Jesus in Matthew 18 how many times to forgive others. “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy times seven.” Jesus meant that we should not keep track of how many times we forgive others, because God doesn’t either. The Bible promises that God will remember our sins no longer, and in Micah 7:19, “You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.”


Questions


Is there a person who you feel you have forgiven more times than they deserve?

Is there someone who may have forgiven you more times than you deserve?

What can we do when we feel like we cannot forgive someone another time?


Sources


1www.kidzworld.com/article/1751-world-geography-facts-water


*http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/global/etopo1_ocean_volumes.html


Written by David F. Garner

Photo Credit: David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Object Lessons 3: Back to Basics

A Backpacking Parable (based on real events)

By David F. Garner

Lesson

As a boy I always enjoyed getting outdoors. I recall the first backpacking trip my dad took my older brother and I on when I was about twelve. It was to last three days. At the end of our road there was a large tract of forested land. A high ridge there had one side removed by dynamite to mine coal. The dynamite left a vertical wall on one side about 100 feet high. We creatively referred to it as the High Wall. On this occasion we set out on foot for the High Wall and surrounding wilderness for our weekend escapade.

As I packed I began thinking about all the things I had used when camping. I realized I only had some of them. ‘What if I need to cut fire wood or what if something breaks?’ I thought to myself. So I put in my hatchet and multi-tool with built in pliers and screwdrivers. Then another thought occurred to me, ‘what if I rip my clothes?’ So I put a needle and thread in the pile. I also added a role of duct tape because it is good for fixing many things.

‘Oh a pot!’ I remembered I would need that for cooking and boiling water. Going into the kitchen I got an old pot my mom didn’t use very often. On the way back I spotted my brother putting rope in his backpack. I thought to myself that I should bring some too, so I put it a large roll of rope. I worked on gathering stuff for an hour or two.

I am not sure how I fit everything I gathered into that pack. But after stuffing and cramming I fit everything in, including food and water. There was no space left. As my brother carried his pack into the living room I saw he had his machete strapped to the outside. ‘What if I need to cut branches out of the way on the trail?’ I thought. ‘I better take my machete too.’ So I tied mine onto the outside of the pack and half carried, half dragged it to the living room. There my dad had a scale so we could weight our packs.

“Sixty-eight pounds,” he said. “Wow, that’s a lot, good thing I am strong,” I said and took my pack to put in the van. What I didn’t know is that for a three-day trip, my pack should have weighted half of that.

The next morning was chilly. As I put my backpack on I noticed for the first time how heavy it was. I tried not to think about it. After praying for our trip, we set out towards our campsite destination near the High Wall.

At the end of the first day, I was ready to go home. I was sore and tired from carrying my heavy backpack. Supper that evening tasted better than any I had before. Also, we had a good view. One of the joys of backpacking is all the exercise makes meals taste so much better, especially when there is a good view of God’s creation.

On the last day, as we returned home, my dad asked me how much of my stuff I had actually used. Thinking it over, I began to realize that a lot of it stayed in my backpack the whole trip. My shovel and hatchet stayed in because my dad and brother brought theirs and we shared. I only wore half the clothes I brought because my clothes were clean enough to be warn multiple days. I only used a small amount of the sunscreen and bug spray I brought.

My dad taught me a lesson that day that is still ingrained in me today. Only carry what you need. If I had talked with my dad and brother about what they were bringing, I would have found out that we could share equipment. I would have learned what things I really needed and what things I didn’t. But instead I chose to try and figure it out on my own and ended up carrying a much bigger burden than I needed too.

It is the same in our Spiritual walk. Like Christian the character in Pilgrims Progress, we often don’t even realize what burdens we are carrying until we come to Jesus. If we let Him, if we read His Word and spend time with Him, He promises to make our burdens light. Matthew 11:28-30 says, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” NLT.

Christian Outdoor Object Lessons 2: Rock Climbing and Prayer

Key Verse

“He only is my rock and my salvation, My stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.” Psalm 62:2 KJV

Lesson

As you cling to the rock, sweat drips off your brow, your hands are getting slick and clammy. You breathe rapidly and you can feel your heart beating in your body. You are lead climbing, 75 feet off the ground and 6 feet past your last anchor. You are still a few feet from the next bolt. You know if you fall now it will be at least a 12-foot drop. But you’re not sure if you can hold on much longer. Then the doubts start to flash before your mind. Did you place that last quick-draw correctly? Did you back clip? Did you check to make sure it was bomber? Can your belayer even see you after that last roof? Does he even know what you are going through? Or is he down there not paying attention, distracted by his new girlfriend he brought along?

Sometimes in life, we go through similar situations. We struggle and struggle up the difficulties of life. Sometimes its fun. Other times it becomes real and serious, even dangerous. We work hard to create anchors in our life. We try to set them to catch us in case we slip. We wear our seatbelt. We have some money saved aside. We have some solid friends in case our relationships don’t work out. We assume our parents will always be there to support and help us. But can we always trust those anchors to be there?

What if our friends move away? What if we don’t have enough money for an emergency? What if our parents split up, or even die? Do we have a second back up? Are our anchors in life redundant? In some situations, they may be. But if we start to think about it we may realize they are not. When the going gets tough we may start to doubt that our anchors will hold up.

As Christians, we have another Anchor. Our anchor to the Rock that David speaks about in Psalms is the Word of God. It is there to assure us that God is real and who He claims to be. Just as important is our rope, our connection to the Anchor—prayer. This is how we stay connected. When the going gets rough and we can’t double check the anchor, we have prayer at our disposal. It is the life-link to God our Rock. We can know that our God is always listening, even if our earthly belayer gets distracted by their girlfriend or boyfriend.

Questions

How do you stay anchored to the Rock?

What is your favorite verse in the anchor (Word of God)?

Has prayer ever kept you connected when everything else has fallen away?

Written by David F. Garner
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