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 56: Like The Deer

Key Verse

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants after you, God.” Ps. 42:1 (WEB)

Lesson

The popular song “As The Deer” begins with the line, “As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after thee.” This line is taken from Psalm 42 and is a beautiful expression of the human longing for spiritual refreshment. Jesus used the same imagery of thirsting after God several times. Feeling thirsty is something we can all relate to. In Psalm 42, King David compares his longing for God to a deer that is longing for a drink of cool water. This is not simply a desire for a drink. It is a deep thirst such as that experienced after a lot of activity in a hot environment.

Deer have very few sweat glands and pant similar to dogs in order to cool down. The deer (‘ayyal’ in Hebrew) King David is referring to is the roe deer (Capreolus caprea) which is native to Palestine where King David lived.1 The roe deer is very similar to the white-tailed deer of North America. Roe deer are reliant on access to a water source. In fact, water sources are usually found in the center of a deer’s territory. They can only roam so far from a water source, and must return to it on a regular basis.

It is essential that roe deer drink at least once every day. They usually drink small amounts multiple times a day. When they go more than 24 hours without drinking they become extremely stressed. Once they finally get to a water source they are so thirsty they may try to drink their entire days’ worth of water all at once which makes them vomit!2

Like the deer it is necessary for us to stay close to the Source of spiritual water. It should be at the center of our life. We must drink from that source on a daily basis, multiple times a day. When we don’t we become very thirsty and often become stressed. We may try to get all of our spiritual water at once, perhaps in church. But, like the deer, we cannot take that much in at once. We must drink from the spiritual source frequently, multiple times a day, to satisfy the longing for God that is in our hearts!

Questions

Can you share an experience of when you were really thirsty?

What does it feel like to be spiritually thirsty?

What does it mean to drink spiritual water?

Should we drink only when we feel thirsty?



Sources:

1. Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Entry for 'DEER'". "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". 1915. Accessed 10/12/17 from http://www.biblestudytools.com/encyclopedias/isbe/deer.html.

2. Arian D. Wallach, Moshe Inbar, Michael Scantlebury, John R. Speakman, Uri Shanas. Water requirements as a bottleneck in the reintroduction of European roe deer to the southern edge of its range. (2007). Canadian Journal of Zoology, 85:1182-1192. https://doi.org/10.1139/Z07-098.

Written by David F. Garner

Christian Outdoor Activity Lesson: Mystery Hike

Activity Type:

Experiential/Team building


Time:

1-2 hours


Goal:

Teach teamwork, critical thinking, backcountry navigation, and of course, have fun. 

Material:

Paper/notebooks, writing utensils, plastic food storage containers or zip close plastic bags. Any other material you choose.


Instructions:

This activity must be very carefully planned by the leader. Choose a goal and lay out two or three different routes to it from the starting point. Hide instructions along the way, each message pointing out the way to find further instructions. Place instructions in a food container or plastic bag and place them strategically along each route. Include clues that participants can try to figure out as a team. Keep in mind the abilities of participants so the changes are not too easy or difficult.

Divide participants into as many groups as there are routes and give instructions to each group leader regarding where the first message on his route may be found. Provide each group with paper/notebook and writing utensil. Each group is instructed to chart the trail as it progresses. This is especially valuable in teaching accurate directions and backcountry navigation skills, for the instructions hidden along the route may entail the taking of directions or even map and compass reading. For example, one message may read, "Go northeast till you find an arrow on a white oak, then due north for ten yards, and you will find the next instruction under a boulder."

Do not have the instructions hidden too far apart. For novices it will be best to have someone with each group who has planned that special route with the director. Instruct each group that if at any time the trail is lost, they should go back to the last known point and start over.1

Possible lesson:

This activity provides a great opportunity to teach participants about the spiritual journey of growing in Christ and gaining spiritual maturity. Another lesson available to the teacher is that of the importance of following directions. God gives us specific directions in his Word and if we do not follow them we can expect to get lost. Refer to Hebrews 6:1-2, 2 Peter 3:18, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, and also the book Pilgrims Progress.


Sources

1 L. A. Skinner. “Nature Games and Hikes” in Recreational Plans, 1943 (Washington D. C.: Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1943) 288.

Written by David F. Garner

Image courtesy of Keerati at FreeDigitalPhotos.net