Part of our summer routine includes play time with some church kiddos each week. During this play time, I lead an extremely brief (due to the interruption of sweet children) Bible study for the mamas. Each week we “go on vacation” to a different location and our devotion relates to that location. This week we went camping!
When we go camping, there are so many things that we include. We bring our tents and sleeping bags. We bring clothes and any other provisions we need for our trip, including food. We need to eat food that sustains us, but for our camping trips we also like to bring a treat. And today, our treat is S’mores—the perfect dessert for a camping trip!
We build our S’mores with one graham cracker on the bottom, a creamy bar of milk chocolate, a perfectly toasted marshmallow, and another graham cracker at the top, making it the perfect crunchy, sweet, and gooey sandwich.
Chocolate
Now, I have met a few people who don’t like chocolate or who are allergic to it, but for the most part everyone loves chocolate! What is it about chocolate that’s so wonderful? It’s sweet. It’s tempting. The flavor is divine and sometimes we crave it. Chocolate can easily compliment many other foods.
The same can be said for people. God made us to crave the edification of others. We greatly desire encouragement and love from those around us. We need it. It is soothing. It is emotionally healing.
Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24
Marshmallow
Marshmallows are also sweet, but when we toast them on our skewers over that fire, they begin to melt and get gooey and sticky. And that’s just the way we like them on our S’mores.
In life things can get sticky too. We face obstacles that may throw us off of the path that God has intended for us. It is important for us to continue to look to the Cross and seek out His plan. We cannot allow anyone to keep us from God’s plan. We must keep opening God’s Word every day to keep His truths firm in our minds so that we are not easily swayed by this world.
I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
Revelation 3:11
I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them.
Romans 16:17
Graham Crackers
Graham crackers are the entire support structure for the S’more. The chocolate and marshmallow are wonderful, but without those graham crackers it would not be that delicious dessert that it is.
We too are the support structure for those around us. God has given us the job of helping one another. We are to seek out ways to help others, no matter the cost. We have been commanded to feed others, help those who are sick and injured, give others our food and our money, and the biggest commandment, to love one another (John 15:12). That is a big job! But it is mentioned so many times that it is obviously very important to build one another up and not let them fall. And when you think about it, it is really quite a beautiful way that God has intended, is it not?
For there will never cease to be poor in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’
Deuteronomy 15:11
For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Matthew 25:35-40
And the crowds asked him, “What then shall we do?” And he answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise.”
Luke 3:10-11
Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
Luke 12:33-34
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you…”
John 15:12
