Mark 10:13-16 – People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it." And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. (NIV 2011)

As kids' camps are preparing for the onslaught of the many campers they will minister to this summer, there is always apprehension and doubt. Will the camps be full? Will we get all the counsellors we need? Will we raise all the required funding? Will the weather cooperate? And the list of questions goes on.

And then there are the naysayers who think that it is more trouble than it is worth. It draws away from other ministries; it's just an expensive paid holiday; I never got to go, so why should I pay for someone else's kid to go? And the list of excuses goes on.

And yet, there are so many positive stories of kids being ministered to at Bible camp: coming to Christ; re-dedications to Christ; new friendships; life lessons learned that are Scripture-based. And the list of life-changers goes on.

Let's commit to holding our camps up in prayer. Prayer is the foundation of all camps. They can never get too much prayer and often don't get enough. Pray for the finances; pray for the campers; pray for the counsellors; pray for the administrators. And the list of prayer needs goes on.

Prayer: Lord, keep us humble; keep us on our knees; keep Your Bible camps on our minds, so that we remember to pray for them throughout the summer as they minister to the children. May we not rebuke anyone who is intent on seeing children come to Christ. May we not be a hindrance, but rather, may we be instruments of help in whatever way we can, be it praying, helping, giving financially. And the list goes on. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Forward this devotional     Share on Facebook

About the author:

Alec Niemi <aniemi@shaw.ca>
Harrison Mills, British Columbia, Canada
Send your feedback to the author