Our theme this year at camp came out of 2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come. The old has gone; the new is here!” I have meditated, studied and prayed over this verse many times this summer, and I have been completely transformed, convicted and challenged by the person of Christ.
In Christ, he makes us new. A new creation we are told! Christ allows us to say goodbye to the things of the past and embrace the things of the future. The past may have been great for you, but when we are In Christ the future is bigger, better, greater! Maybe the past has been awful. Well guess what? When we are In Christ the future is bigger, better, greater! He promises us that Church.
We are constantly being changed by Christ. He is at work, he is always moving some kind of mountain, calming some kind of storm, restoring someone's blindness, healing a illness, casting out some sort of demon or transforming a life. He is always doing something new. Sometimes, we are just so focused on the past pain, that past sin, built-up bitterness, resentment or the “good ole days” that we miss what new thing Christ is doing. The last two weeks, we saw 300+ middle school and high school students say goodbye to the past and embrace the new. Through dozens of salvations, physical healings, genuine confession, a fresh filling of the holy spirit and water baptism! At camp we had 18 students get baptized in the river and more to come.
The one thing that stands out the most to me, is this new hunger students have trying to figure out how to practically follow Jesus at home so that they don’t go back to the old, but fully step into the new. A new hunger to be changed and transformed stepping off the campgrounds and not going back to their old way of living. I have no doubt that something greater is coming for the next generation and at Rev. The best is yet to come!
Maybe it’s your time to honour and say goodbye to the old and embrace the new this fall. Our students are doing it, join us! This new life is an abundant, beautiful life. The old has gone, the new is here! The old has gone, the new is here! The NEW is here! Go, In Christ!
