A Broken Promise

 I sat listening to Turner teach a morning Bible study under deep conviction this past week at camp. God reminded me of a broken promise I made to Him 22 years ago. A vow I made to Him at another youth camp when I was only 35 years old. 

I was preaching a different camp all those years ago. God moved my heart deeply in one service. I saw the spiritual need in the campers. When the service ended, I walked off alone outside to pray. It was in that moment through tears I made my promise to God. I promised Him I would keep preaching camps for the rest of my days if He would open the doors. I promised to keep pointing students and adults to Him. 

Fast forward to this past week. I had not preached a camp in several years. I felt irrelevant preaching camps. I preach harder to students than any other group of people. I grew weary of leaving Brenda for a week. I disliked leaving the flock I shepherd to spend a week away at camp. I had a few invitations but turned them down. Truth is I never intended to preach another youth camp. I preached dozens and dozens over a several decade stint. I grew tired of the camp high that wears off so quickly once campers return home. Sitting in a lawn chair listening to my youngest son pour his heart out teaching the Bible conviction came. God reminded me of my broken vow. I sat broken and repentant. 

When the Bible study ended people scattered throughout the camp for various activities. I did not move. I felt ashamed, remorseful, and broken. I stared at a large boulder imbedded in the dirt. That boulder became my altar. I recommitted myself to go preach any camp or revival where God invited me to go to declare His word boldly. I will not seek out those invitations. I will not pursue opportunities. If God has additional camps for me to preach, I trust that He will send the invitations. He has my yes. I will follow Him to the mountains, to the beach, to campgrounds, to do His bidding. I am a one trick pony. I preach the Bible boldly. If He chooses to put me before students, I will keep pointing them to Jesus.

I broke my promise but have since repented and will obey. What about you? Have you broken promises to God? Have you followed through on vows made to Him? Maybe you vowed to do something as an impressionable teenager. Perhaps as a young adult God moved you to commit to a certain course of action. Maybe you were called to a ministry that you did not follow through on. It is never too late to repent and yield to God's leadership. 

If God follows through on what I promised to do for a second time, next summer I will be packing my bags and spending a few weeks on the road sharing the glorious gospel and the life changing principles from the word of God. From this point on it will no longer be a promise broken but rather a promise kept.