“And behold, I am always with you, to the end of the age” Matthew 28:20
One of the most adventurous things to do while camping is going hiking. Sometimes the path is very well laid out and it is impossible for a person to get lost, even the most directionally challenged person. Other times people use a compass, instinct, and previous knowledge to find their way. There are some incredible sights to see, and I want to add God made it all.
One year my wife and I went with another family and took our 6 and 9 years old to the bottom of the Grand Canyon to spend a couple of days. It was 2 miles downhill to reach the valley floor and then a 10-mile hike into the village area near the camping area. It was a stunning walk on the bottom of the canyon as we looked up at the sides of the valley all the way up to the rim of the opening. It was incredible to look up that high and be reminded that I knew the one who made it.
The first day we arrived at a waterfall of approximately 100 feet that was absolutely beautiful, and the water splash was into magnificent blue water. When I think about the trip, I remember that a person can’t see this waterfall without going down. Then there was the second and third day waterfalls which had a very different set of beauty and portrayal of waterfall. Truly breathtaking. It was so much fun to stand in the waterfalls at one point and let the water run on our heads and down our bodies. On another day we climbed behind a waterfall where no one could see us and then jumped through the powerful down flow of water and then have the current push into the middle of the pool.
I’ve been on other camping trips and seen fish in rivers, mountains, deer, turtles, butterflies, and cliffs high above the water. No two camping hikes are the same in length, incline, sun exposure, hard paths versus rock riverbeds, and memories.
When we walk with God there is something amazing about realizing He is there with us. Whether we are experiencing life’s challenges or life’s celebrations - He is there. We might not feel like He is there - and that is usually because we are more focused on the situation rather than Him. Hebrews 13:5 says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” And Psalm 145:18 says, “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
Jonah is a man who tried to run from God. It’s a really good thing God is always there, because God still had beautiful things for Jonah to do. He was with Jonah on the dry land, He was with him on the boat on the water, He was with him in the sea and even in the mouth of the Big Fish.
Remember no matter where you go - God is there.
