Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Daily Devotions: The Young Ones

Idyllic Montreat

Ephesians 1:18a I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you...
I'm back at Montreat, North Carolina to spend the first part of the week with our Youth Group. Every year our church sends our young people to experience a whole week with their peers praising God. As usual, the worship is energetic and our teenagers are enthusiastically enjoying being here. It's a wonderful opportunity to focus on Christ and I pray that it is something special that they will keep with them throughout the years to come.
I'm glad that they are joyfully sharing this together. Our Youth leader Becca has been here sixteen times. Her faith grew through her own Montreat experiences and led her into church leadership. I know that she wants each of the participants to embrace the fellowship and grow in faith. Her dedication to these young people is helping them to develop their own spirituality and faith in the Lord.

I'm glad that they are joyfully sharing this together. Our Youth leader Becca has been here sixteen times. Her faith grew through her own Montreat experiences and led her into church leadership. I know that she wants each of the participants to embrace the fellowship and grow in faith. Her dedication to these young people is helping them to develop their own spirituality and faith in the Lord.

But what happens when they come back amongst us? Having had a wonderfully enlightening and enthusiastic experience at Montreat, aren't they in for a spiritual culture shock when they get back home? It's something that often bothers me and I personally wonder what we can do to blend more of their way of worshiping back at Erin.

At the end of the week, our young people lead the morning worship service at church. It gives them an opportunity of relating their experience to the rest of the church. But is it enough? Shouldn't we be doing more now to embrace their ideas so that both the light in the eyes of their heart and the hope they carry in their souls are not extinguished nor diminished? Instead of seeing them as the future church of tomorrow, how can we embrace them as the living church today?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, open the eyes of our heart and help us to truly see what Your Spirit is doing amongst our young people today. Give us the courage to boldly hand over important aspects of leadership in our churches today, allowing them to help us grow through their faith. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today's devotion, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

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