Yes, With God's Help

Many of the confirmation students from the CRLC community are at Confirmation Camp this week. The theme of the lessons and practices that will be offered to the campers this year is "Yes, With God's Help."

Confirmation Camp is a requirement of the catechism program. Although I know that families often wonder about the value of such a requirement before camp, that question usually has disappeared by the end of the week. There is something about total immersion in Christian Community that opens the heart and mind. There is something about daily seed sowing that increases the possibility for "something" to sprout, and often take root.

Every year the camp has a theme which might be seen as the variety of seed being sown. This year the seeds that are being offered pertain to the transformation that occurs when a child of God says "yes" to the call of God.

Most of us "big kids" realize that God's call is extended to an aspect of personality or ability that God knows can be an instrument of grace and love for the enhancement of someone else's life. Many of us have experienced the transitional time between feeling the nudge of someone or something that has generated the question: What shall I say to this? The nudge may come during a worship service, or in the course of years of standing at the edge of church life. There may a recurring curiousity of "What would it be like if I....." Sometimes the nudge comes when we realize that a plan or dream that we had always thought was the aspiration of our life is becoming increasingly troublesome, frustrating or (quite frankly) flat.

Sometimes (and this is often one of the more disconcerting experiences) a plan or opportunity we have pursued simply shuts down. Parker Palmer refers to this as "way closed". In his book, Let Your Life Speak, Mr. Palmer tells his story of the call to vocation. In many ways, his path was clarified most purely when things were NOT working according to his hope or his plan.

However you are experiencing God's call, the nudging invitation of the Holy Spirit, saying "yes" is not enough. "Yes" is the starting point, and it indicates that you are responding and attentive to God's voice. Then, when you add the sincere consent for God's help which will guide your steps, you proclaim that you no longer see yourself as the primary decision maker and planner of your life. With God's help, you are able to set aside limits and conditions that would tempt you to restrain your loving, selfless service.

Many who have responded to God's call describe vocation as a free fall. It can be frightening at first, to be sure! But I can assure you, that saying "yes" is the most difficult moment -- and from that moment on, if you sincerely rely upon God's help and guidance, life's purposes unfold in amazing and surprising ways.