Caleb was having a blast at his new job. With one year of college

Transcription

1 5 WEEK Nothing Can Separate Us from God Roman 8:38-39 MEMORY VERSE Philippians 1:6, NIV Caleb was having a blast at his new job. With one year of college done, he was taking the summer to work at Fox Mountain Camp as an Adventure Expert. Each day he made sure the zip lines ran smoothly. He cleared fallen trees and limbs off the trails. And he kept all the canoes in tiptop shape. One morning, the camp director, Mr. Malkin, fell into step beside Caleb as they left the dining pavilion. You re doing a fine job, Caleb, he said. Thank you, sir! Caleb replied. You know Jamal injured his ankle, right? Mr. Malkin asked. Jamal was counselor for the ten, eight-year-old boys in Hawk Eye Cabin. Yeah, I helped carry him back from the trail after he twisted it, Caleb explained. That s right, said Mr. Malkin. Well, he can t keep up with those boys now. I d like you to be their new counselor for the rest of the summer. Me? Caleb asked in surprise. But I m not... I mean, I can strap a kid into a zip line harness or show them how to paddle a canoe. But I don t really know how to, you know... lead a cabin! I don t know what to say when they ask hard questions and stuff. 1

2 I think you can handle it, son, Mr. Malkin encouraged. I ll give you until dinner to decide. He clapped Caleb on the back and smiled as he turned off into the camp office. Caleb took a deep breath. Maybe... maybe I can do it... he considered as he headed for the obstacle course. But his thoughts were interrupted by a text buzzing in on his phone. His mother said simply, Call me. Frowning, Caleb stuffed his phone back in his pocket. While he was at camp, Caleb only talked to his parents on the weekend. He wondered what it was all about until he could finally make the call to his mom during his lunch break. Her voice sounded shaky on the phone. Caleb... I m sorry to do this now, but... well, we ve already waited too long. Mom, are you okay? Caleb asked. You re getting a divorce?! said Caleb in disbelief. Yes. Yes, I m fine. She paused. It s just... well, your dad and I... we re taking a break. What?! Caleb shouted, startling a crow in a nearby bush. It flew off, cawing. Your dad got an apartment, his mom added. You re getting a divorce?! said Caleb in disbelief. No, I mean... we need some time... Caleb s mom tried to explain. Caleb felt like his whole world had just tipped upside down. But what about when I come home before college starts? he protested. What about Thanksgiving and Christmas and the road trip we planned 2

3 Caleb! his mom cut him off. We ll figure it out. I promise. Well, go see a counselor or something, Caleb said. You have to fix this! We ve been talking with Pastor Rob, his mom told him. We both love you, and we re working on things. Caleb stood stunned when the call finally ended. His mind raced, out of control. It felt like everything was falling apart. He could hardly keep his focus at the lake when he took the lifeguard seat, snapping and shouting at kids who got to near the rope. During lunch, Caleb s friend Mateo set his tray down beside Caleb at the staff table. Hey man, you want to go bouldering this weekend? he asked. I found this really awesome place. Oh, and we should check with Sam and see I don t want to talk right now, Caleb said as he grabbed his half-eaten lunch and stalked off. Mateo stared after him in hurt surprise. As Caleb hurried past the camp office, Mr. Malkin waved at him. You decided about being a counselor yet? No, Caleb said flatly. No, you haven t decided or no Not right now! Caleb said sharply. He picked up his pace so Mr. Malkin wouldn t see he was fighting back tears. I can t lead a bunch of kids when everything s so messed up! he mumbled. Caleb s feet took him right through the cabin area, and before he knew it, he was climbing the rugged trail up Fox Mountain. He felt hot anger rising inside as he thought about his parents. God, You can t let them do this! he shouted. It s not fair! Sure, Caleb didn t live at home all the time now he was in college. But his parents were supposed to be there, together, all the time. They were family. 3

4 Caleb grabbed a heavy stick and hurled it into the brush. He wanted to pray, but anger and confusion seemed to choke out the words. Instead, he pushed himself hard over rocks and past scrubby pine trees until he made it to a clearing near the summit. The whole camp spread out far below him. He took out the small pair of binoculars he always carried and checked the view. The older kids were heading out to the rec field. He could follow Mr. Malkin s battered pick up driving out the gravel road. And there was the big sign at the camp entrance... Fox Mountain Camp, he read. Further up and further in. Caleb had always liked the camp motto. It came from a book called The Last Battle, when after a terribly dark time, the characters found an amazing place Azlan, the lion who is a picture of God, had created for them. A place where they would always be close to him and could keep exploring forever. Beneath the motto, Caleb read the final line on the sign, Romans 8: Nothing at all can ever separate us from God s love. Even though it had been ten years since Caleb memorized the verses, he could still remember most of it. I am absolutely sure that not even death or life can separate us from God s love... he murmured. Not even angels or demons, the present or the future... Not even the highest places or the lowest, or anything else in all creation can separate us. Nothing at all can ever separate us from God s love. Caleb lowered the binoculars. A breeze rustled through the pine needles. For the first time since talking with his mom, he took a deep breath. He knew there was no easy fix to his parents problems. Whatever happened, it would still be difficult. But things would be okay in the end. Caleb sat down on a rock in a shady spot... sitting still, just letting the view soak in. At last, he scrambled back down the mountain. 4

5 Before dinner, he found Mr. Malkin. I ll do it, he said. I ll lead Hawk Eye Cabin. Excellent! exclaimed Mr. Malkin. I think you ll do a fine job with those boys! I don t really have all the answers for them, Caleb confessed. But... I guess that s okay? You bet, said Mr. Malkin. Just point em in the right direction. We ll put you on first thing in the morning. Caleb nodded and hurried off to catch up with Mateo for dinner. He still wasn t sure how he d handle being a counselor. Or what to say to his parents. But he knew that whatever came, God would be right there in it with him. Let s Talk! God doesn t promise that we won t have problems and that everything will always work out perfectly. But He does promise that He will always be with us. He promises to love us and give us wisdom and courage. And He promises that in the very end, everything will be made right. When you truly believe this, it changes everything! How might your life look different right now if you lived with the confidence of knowing these things are true, no matter what happens? Parents, share from your own life, and help your child think of several specific situations. Pray for each other, that you would both live this week with confidence, knowing that everything God has promised you is true! Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL READER S VERSION 1995, 1996, 1998, 2014 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved The rethink Group, Inc. All rights reserved. 5