This week our lovely Rachel continues her reflection on her time at CSSM (see last week’s post https://hillsandvalleysblog.wixsite.com/home/blog/summer-stories), sharing her passion for the heart’s of young people. This post offers a call to refocus on the Gospel that can be easily lost sight of in this broken world, and to share its truth with the young people in our lives.
‘We must fight for the salvation of the kids we have the privilege of ministering to and looking after. Often the children and young people we meet on teams are from different church backgrounds, varying levels of faith in Christ and different family situations. One thing that is the same is that they are each beloved children of the King of Kings. Each child you come across is of eternal value and as Christians we understand there are only two ways we will spend eternity. In Heaven with our Heavenly Father or in complete separation from God in Hell. It can seem harsh when we think of young lives in such frank terms but it is the reality of the life we live. Yet the most wonderful part is that Jesus came as an atoning sacrifice for us and our kids and young people so that we do not need to live in eternal separation from our Heavenly Father but can instead turn, repent and live a life here on earth for him and then some day stand in glory and see the face of God! How exciting is that!! To stand blameless before our creator and live a life free from the chains of sin and shame.
This offer is open to everyone and this is the offer that the children and young people in our care need to know about. I am so thankful for the opportunity teams like this give children and young people to express their worries, concerns and questions and then receive solid biblical guidance from older Christians who genuinely love them. We live in a society straying so far from the Christian values we are taught and know to be good. For our children and young people it is just as hard and challenging to hold fast to the word of God and stand apart for Christ as it ever has been.
Often in the west we find ourselves comfortable within society, it becomes easy to blend in. We find ourselves making exceptions in how we act, talk, what we watch or how we spend our time. We forget that as children of God we should be striving in everything we do to become more Christ-like and that means we will be set apart from the world we live in.That means we don’t participate in that dirty joke in the office, we don’t watch that show that everyone loves which is so promiscuous and celebrates sexual immorality, we set out time each day to pray and read the word instead of turning to our phones or TV.
We deny ourselves (Luke 9v23-25), resisting against what the flesh desires and seeking what is holy, we are set apart for Christ because our goal isn’t to please man, to be liked or to be popular but to be an obedient child of God straining toward our inheritance that will come. It isn’t easy, it means that we might seem a bit different, it means that difficult questions may come our way, it means we have to be uncomfortable, it means we will suffer (note when Peter says in 1 Peter 4v12 “when the fiery trails come...” when speaking to gentile Christians in exile, he doesn’t say ‘if’ he says ‘when’).
The truth is, to be uncomfortable for the sake of Christ is such a blessing, when you choose his way over the worlds ways, no matter the cost, you will be blessed (1 Peter 3v14 & James 1v2).
This is such a challenge for us and such a challenge for our young people. It isn’t natural and it doesn’t come easy. We need strong convictions and really believe what we say is true because it is no mean feat to take on. But it is what the Christian life is about, and we are not alone, we have the very same power that rose Jesus from the grave living and working within us (Romans 8v11). I am reminded of Peters words: “His divine power has given us everything we need for a Godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” 2 Peter 1v3. We are not helpless, we are not enslaved to the flesh for we have the very spirit of God within us and with his word and fellowship with believers we can strive toward holiness. “Let us keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from beginning to end. He did not give up because of the cross! On the contrary, because of the joy that was waiting for him, he thought nothing of the disgrace of dying on the cross, and he is now seated at the right side of God's throne.” Hebrews 12v2.
I urge whoever is reading this to look out for younger Christians they know, encourage them in the word, challenge them, help them stand apart for Christ in a world which is so full of sin, as they grow up into a society which even celebrates sinful things (Romans 1v32). As I spoke with the girls I was leading I’d often feel daunted looking toward the world they will be growing up in as teenagers and, before too long, young adults. I wanted to shield them from the darkness that is so prevalent in our world today. Humbly you remind yourself that you are incapable of such a momentous task and instead you have to fall at the feet of Jesus and pray for their protection and spiritual growth. Over the two weeks the girls became more confident with their prayers, at the end of some sessions I was blown away by the sincerity, honesty and boldness that some of these 12 year olds prayed. One of the most amazing moments was having a parent come to me at the end to say their daughter had bought a new bible and was reading it with zeal everyday. She was badgering her parents with questions about what certain words meant and questioning them about how many times they had read the whole bible. To see these young girls enthusiastic about the word, setting up a Whatsapp group to encourage each other and challenge each other through the year and share how they are gonna be confident in Christ while at school is so humbling and amazing.
Do not underestimate young people, fight for them, encourage them, challenge them, you have no idea the impact you are making or what they will bring away from bible studies. Above all else pray for the kids and young people you come in contact with, pray that they will not be disheartened when summer camps stop and they are back to ‘reality’. Pray that they will be equipped with the armour of God as they go back to their schools and homes, so they can live lives sold out for Jesus.
Heavenly father, we thank you for every camp, mission and outreach team which has taken place this summer in order to spread your good news. Lord we praise you for your kindness to allow the leaders the privilege of serving both the children and you in this way. We thank you for every leader who gave his or her time and how you sustained them and used them. Lord we pray that you will continue the work within each of these young people, help to equip them for this new academic year and be with them as they step out in faith. Amen’
By Rachel Bruce
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