God's Place

When Pastor Chris asked me about going to The Refuge during the Confirmation retreat, I said I would see but I knew it wouldn’t work out.  God worked His supernatural stuff and Mike and I went. I kept wondering why God was sending us, I knew He had a reason.  

I knew why Friday night when we went on a hayride and parked in an open field with no light pollution.  We stayed quiet and listened to the birds and frogs.  We could see the pink glow from the lights of Greenville in the distance.  The sky was sparkling with stars, it was so beautiful!  We saw the big dipper and Orion’s belt.  We were reminded that we are spinning at 67,000 mph.  You read that right, 67,000 mph so if we stopped suddenly we would be flung off along with trees and even the soil.  At the same time we are going around the sun at 1000 mph.  We stayed quiet for a while and let it all soak in.  This was when I knew why I was there.  “Be still and know that I am God.”  Psalm 46: 10.  That evening we talked about creation - my thing- and how God is a God of order.  He made everything in the right order.  As we were told, if animals were made first they would have floated around.  He does the same for our life with His perfect timing.  Jeremiah 29: 11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord.”  As believers we are to shine, like stars, looking different with a glow from within that the world can’t deny.

Saturday morning there was archery and then in session we talked about how no one hits the bull’s eye the first time.  Adam and Eve were created in God’s image and likeness but they broke His covenant command and experienced evil.  We all mess up and we are all a process. We all miss the mark. Jesus took our sin, shame and guilt.  John 3: 16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Sin breaks our relationship with God so that is why we need Jesus, our Redeemer.  Jesus saved us.  John 14: 6, “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’”  No matter what we have done or what we have caused, Jesus is our redeemer.  The only way to get to Heaven is through Jesus.

That afternoon Mike knew why he was there.  He said, “you know, a child’s life could be forever changed today.”  He was right and we were grateful to be there!