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Lessons from the Backcountry

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JimB:
Recently I did my first backpacking trip with a friend of mine who is a veteran backpacker. At the end of a hard days hike the question was asked between us... "What spiritual lesson did you learn today?" So with this question still ringing through my mind I'd like to share with you in this thread some of the spiritual lessons that I learned while backpacking and even some after thoughts looking back on the experience. Here is the first one that my friend pointed out to me as we walked by a tree.

Lesson #1

--- Quote ---Gen 50:20  But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.
Gen 50:21  Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spoke kindly unto them. 
--- End quote ---

This tree that we walked by was a very old conifer that had survived the extensive logging in the area. All the other old conifers had been cut logged but yet this one remained. Why? Well if you could have seen it the answer would have been obvious. As a small tree something must have happened to it. Who knows what maybe another tree had fallen on it. But something happened that caused the main trunk split into 4 different trunks. Yet it developed into a large mature tree. Probably 75 to 100 feet tall. Because of it's deformity it made it difficult to cut down and log which is why it was left untouched.

This seemingly a horrible thing that happened on early it's life is actually what saved this tree from being cut down and hauled away to the nearest sawmill.

And so it is with each of us. All of us as we have walked through life have had things that have deformed us. Some physically, others have been spiritually and emotionally damaged through traumatic events. Some have more than likely experienced all three. However, when Christ comes into our hearts and we ask Him to clean us up what was once a bad thing Christ can use for good. Actually this is a promise that we can count on.


--- Quote ---Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
--- End quote ---

Mimi:
Amen, Jim! And how many times have we been saved and didn't know it?

What a beautiful object lesson!

What are some others?

Lewis:

--- Quote from: Sybil on August 16, 2008, 02:38:32 PM ---Amen, Jim! And how many times have we been saved and didn't know it?

What a beautiful object lesson!

What are some others?


--- End quote ---

Amen to being saved many times and all the times we do not know of.

Also, what about all the times we easily overlook all of these lessons in nature that God has in store for us to learn of Him. This makes me think more about keeping in tune to God while out in His nature so I can draw closer to Him.

JimB:
Lesson #2
This is something that came to mind the first night of the trip. I had to leave the normal "campsite" to take care of something. It was then I noticed how dense the forest was. Just a couple of steps off the path and the forest closed in around you with no evidence of how to get back if you were not paying attention.

So it is with our walk with God. If we step off the path that we are walking with God it just takes a couple of steps towards sin for it crowd in around us and confuse us. Thus making it hard to find our way back. Even with the normal cares and duties of our life we need to be careful that these don't crowd in around us and make us lose sight of our loving Guide.

Mimi:
Amen, Jim. This is so true for us individually, and the same is true for the church. A few steps outside the narrow way can lead to many more.

We must remember from whence we came.

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