Do not turn aside to the right or the left from all the things I am commanding you today, and do not follow other gods to worship them.
Deuteronomy 28:14

Have you met the staff member who is all gung ho about camp ministry? The one who showed up to orientation with his face painted in camp colors. The one who always raises her hand to answer every question. The one who is over the top with camp spirit. All. the. time.

Wait.

Don’t make fun of this person. Many times the camp enthusiast is a great example of what we should all be on the inside. If God has called you to serve at camp this summer, you should be passionate about it. You should vigorously support the vision of your camp and joyfully follow what God has for you.

All summer long.

We pray that this devotional book will help you keep your vision on Christ. Don’t be like fireworks that start off sputtering and smoking but fizzle out. Instead follow the advice in today’s verse where Moses told the Israelites to follow God’s calling them—undistracted, without diversion, completely.

Moses called them to be all in. Are you?

Hopefully you didn’t show up at camp because you didn’t have anything better to do this summer, or because your parents or someone else coerced you into it. Hopefully you won’t just be passionate about following Christ at the beginning of the summer but end up more concerned about your reputation and comfort by the end of the summer. Hopefully you’re not self-righteously critiquing the vision and methods of your camp. In Moses’ words that’s turning aside to the right or the left. Don’t do it.

Commit yourself to a quest this summer—learn from your camp leaders, love God wholeheartedly, serve others unselfishly.

Of course none of this can be done apart from Jesus Christ. Without Jesus you’ll end up in a ditch on the right side or in quicksand on the left side. By the middle of the first week. Jesus must be your source and strength every moment.