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When I was young, I went to camps. Church camp, YMCA camp, Youth Haven Ranch, etc. I loved it. Every week away to a new destination, another group of people to meet, and another chance to establish an identity that was closer to the me I felt like I was than the one I was able to live out in school. Does that make sense? Also enjoyed the Spiritual “shot in the arm” type benefit that came from many of the experiences.

Late in High School, that transformed a bit, when I was able to work at a camp for the whole summer. No longer was I bound by the camper code, but I was released into the freedom, joys, and responsibilities of a camp worker. It also meant new relationships that lasted an entire summer, instead of the weekly drama of camper-cycles.

In college, the world changed once more as I became part of a group that traveled to about 8 camps over summer, leading worship and ministering to the youth. On stage in front of hundreds of teens, ministering in a variety of settings, traveling all over the midwest…I gained experiences that have helped me become much of who I am today.

And today, the camping world transformed once more, as I took another step. Speaking at a Free Methodist Camp for Junior High students. Only one service under my belt…but I loved it. Definitely feeling the pressure of wanting to present the most faithful words from God possible for the lives present….praying that God takes what I offer and makes it His.

And oh yes….I brought my family this time. A whole new dynamic to the camp experience. Forces me to slow down. To quiet my “self”. To be okay missing out on some things, in order to experience the full week as a family as much as possible. I am a blessed man. 🙂

ps. Shout out to Mr. Jeremiah Bolich. I gotta be honest, traveling all over and seeing TONS of camp pastors in action…I learned a lot from that guy. About being a man after Christ, and a man who loves others….and speaks at camps. 🙂 Thanks Bolich.

In case you missed it, and don’t wanna watch 30 minutes randomly…here’s about 7 minutes of highlights. 🙂

2 Peter 3:10 – “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (KJV)

Based on that verse in the KJV, it’d be easy to believe God’s coming to steal us all away like a thief. That everything we know is going to be burned up in actual fire. That “Left Behind” is solid theology.

Thankfully, we have an entire Bible, not one verse. Not only do we have a God who loves His creation, and actively seeks to bring His presence back into what is happening, and bring healing and New Life…with promises of bringing Heaven and Earth together in a New Creation…but we also have the ability to look at the actual words of these verses.

2 Peter 3:10 – “But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a loud noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fire, and the earth and everything that is done on it will be disclosed.” (NRSV)

First, it’s not “The Lord” that comes like a thief, it’s the DAY of the Lord. It comes unexpectedly. We cannot know for sure when. It’s surprising, humbling, and we want to be ready. Both translations would agree there.

The elements will be dissolved. The Greek word here is “luo” (looo-oh). This word means “to loose”, it has to do with releasing what is bound, setting something free, overthrow, subvert, etc.

The elements will be (released, set free, etc.) with fire. We know the imagery of God being a consuming fire. That throughout the scriptures there are inferences to purifying by fire, all the way back to the presence of God in a bush that did not burn up.

But it seems the largest difference is in the final statement. That all of the earth and everything that is done in it will be “burnt up” vs. “disclosed”. The word here is “heurisko” (hyoor-eesko). A word that means “to come upon”, to discover, to find out, to see/understand, to know God, etc.

I look forward with hope-filled anticipation, the coming day of the Lord…and work toward that day believing that what is accomplished serves a purpose.  Now…and in the coming Kingdom.