Life to the Full

     What a spectacular weekend at Windy Gap--a Young LIfe camp in the mountains of North Carolina!   A big group of high schoolers from Broughton Young Life went for the weekend to hear God's Word, sing their hearts out, and have a blast in the beauty of God's creation.  Our wonderful, amazing leader, Courtney Lancaster made it possible for Tessa and Janie both to go this weekend by reserving a house for the Jones, the Barkers (equally wonderful--they helped us every step of the way), and us.  I can still remember when Courtney told us way back about 10 days into Janie's ordeal (while she was still unconscious) that she had reserved the house for us just in case we could go.  I thought at the time, "How sweet--but that will never ever happen."  O me of little faith--thank You Father for yet another miracle that Tessa and Janie were able to go and had an unforgettable time with their senior friends and the Lord.  And thank you for everyone helping constantly to make it all happen.
     Our cabin looked out over all the serene, astounding beauty of fall in all it’s glory.  Weeping willow,  trees tinged red and orange, clear blue sky, green grass, and woods.  Just took my breath away. This crummy picture doesn't even begin to do it justice.  How I marveled at God’s creation. I loved gazing outside the big picture window at the extravagance of God's creation assaulting me from every direction. The first part of the day, the beauty was quiet and peaceful--no kids, no noise, just lovely Windy Gap.  I was inside much of the day on saturday working on a lecture for Bible study.  It was wonderful to have that time with the Lord but incredibly hard seeing all that I was missing, and missing the joy of spending the glorious day with everyone.  

But a bit later in the day, I watched as all those high school kids went out and began enjoying that beauty.  Screaming down zip lines, swinging high over the hills in a giant swing (and more screaming), jumping high off the platform and bouncing on the blob  and then waiting for the next person to jump so they could be catapulted off into the air and then into the frigid water (and more screaming).  Flying down the giant slide into the lake (screaming).  Playing golf frisbe and hiking and laughing and terrified but happy on the high ropes course (and you got it: screaming).  Throwing footballs and yelling school cheers.. and just generally having a complete and total blast! 

     How I loved hearing all the screams and laughter and yelling and sounds of kids enjoying the incredible beauty of this remarkable place. And then, of course, there is the joy in club, where kids sing at the top of their lungs and dance and then hear the unadulterated message of the Gospel.  Of  God’s love for them in sending Jesus to die for their sins and be raised to new life so that they could make Him their Savior and enjoy abundant, eternal life.  

I love, truly love, the serene astounding beauty of Windy Gap, but it pales in comparison to loving the way the kids were enjoying and loving and learning and growing and finding, I pray, eternal life, in this place.  

And God woke me this morning with this thought: that is just a taste of how He feels.  He looks down at this remarkable, beautiful, breath-taking creation He has made for His children to enjoy, and it is good.  It surely gives Him great pleasure.  But that pleasure, that joy pales infinitely in comparison to His joy in watching His children find real, eternal, abundant LIfe in His Name. 
     What if these high schoolers came to Windy Gap and just stared at all they have available to do and then just said, "How nice. I think I'll just sit here and look at it from the bus this weekend. I don't need to actually get out and do anything.  I can just sit here and gaze at it and enjoy it from the comfort of the bus."  How terrible!  They would miss it completely and never enjoy even a fraction of the joy and wonder and life changing power of this place.   

God means for us to live, truly Live with a capital “L,” and so many miss it.  They miss life the way God meant for it to be lived, to be enjoyed, to be lived in the joy and power and peace and grace of the One who died to give us true, eternal Life.  Like all those incredible things available to high school kids at Windy Gap, that is what He has available for us in Jesus.  But we have to accept Him as Lord, and then we have to daily surrender and live by His power, His grace, hour by hour.  And if we don’t, we miss everything--life as it was meant to be lived.  And eternity as it was meant to be spent with Him, forever, in joy.  
     Forgive us Father, when we settle for so much less than You have for us in Christ.  All those riches in Christ, and so many accept those pale imitations of real life instead of YOU and all You have for us.  
     Thank You Lord for this place of remarkable beauty.  But thank You far more for sending Your Son so that we might enjoy this life--now and forever--as it was meant to lived and enjoyed to the fullest.  

  Jesus said “I have come that you might have life and have it to the full.”  John 10:10       Thank You for such an indescribable gift, Lord Jesus.  Thank You for Life--and for life to the FULL, because it is filled with Your fullness.  

Divine fullness to enjoy forever.  I wonder if there’s a zip line in heaven?  To God be the glory.