The Hour Has Come.

Nine and a half hours.

This is when Strong Rock Camp's 2012 Staff Week officially begins.

I have been at camp for a week now and it's been fantastic not only prepping for my job as a leader of the girls counselor team, but in getting to know members of that team and the team as a whole.

I like to think I have seen a glimpse ahead into the summer with these hours spent with at least part of the staff, but I don't want to. People don't need me to imagine what will happen, we'll see it soon enough. What I do want to do is look at each person and the summer as a whole in a certain way.

The seventeenth chapter of John is made up entirely of a prayer of Jesus. A prayer to His father, about us.

He prays mostly for our courage and unity in the face of world that will hate us.

Now I have never gotten much flack for working at a summer camp, Christian or not, but what I have gotten is attacks from the god of the age. Camp, or at the very least this one (I've not gone deep in any other's I'm just assuming) is a near constant battle between the powers of darkness and the light of Christ.

I take away a couple things from John 17 this morning.

Number One: Stay in the word.

"Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth." -John 17:17

Number Two: A huge desire of God is for our unity.

There is an entire chapter of the bible devoted solely to God praying for our unity. Surely I could donate a chunk of my time to doing the same. This camp does nothing great outside of Christ.

Number Three: God prayed for us.

Ruminate on that one.

The summer is here. We are about to dive into over nine weeks of battle, and we get to say that over two thousand years ago, even Jesus was praying for our work and unity.

Let's Go.

"I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me...Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me, for You loved Me before the foundation of the world."  -John 17: 20-21,24