Finding answers through faith around the campfire

When you read this devotion I will have left for my annual moose hunting trip. This is perhaps my favorite season of the year.

I love autumn in the Alaska woods. There are times the yellow leaves on birch trees seem to light up a dark evening. You can smell the rotting leaves and the pungent cranberries. The hills seem to be painted with the colors of gold and red. The warm days and cool nights bring a pleasant contrast, and the wildlife is active preparing for the winter.

The bleating of sandhill cranes and trumpeting of swans are shouting that winter is on the way. The call of the raven seems to be telling every other animal what is happening in the woods. We see porcupine, lynx and even bear sign. Usually I see many moose, mainly cows and calves, wandering about and eating. That list doesn’t even describe the grouse, hare, owls, squirrels and the other wildlife with which God populates the forests. No wonder so many Alaskans enjoy hunting. It is not only an opportunity to fill the freezer, but it is an opportunity to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation.

With all that said, do you know what I enjoy most about my hunting trips? I find real blessing in sitting around the fire and talking with fellow hunters. We discuss our hunting experiences and politics. We discuss family and our faith. In fact, my experience in moose camp for more than 20 years has been that we enjoy a daily devotion that leads to more discussion. When I return from hunting, I often tell my wife that we solved all the problems of the world in camp this year, if only the rest of the world would listen to us.

God intends for men and women of faith to be a blessing to one another. The Scriptures are full of references to friends. Perhaps the verse that best describes to me what happens in moose camp comes from Proverbs 27:9. There we are told, “Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel.”

What a blessing to be able to talk earnestly, to talk honestly about topics that are important to our lives. And when we realize while talking that we share a best friend in Jesus, our talk encourages us through the trials of life with the help that faith in God gives. Around the campfire we can be talking about the present, but building for eternity as we assure one another of God’s help and forgiveness and love.

Going into the wilderness to live in a tent may sound like roughing it to many. But when you mix the glory of God’s creation with the blessing of Christian friends, this becomes one of my favorite times of the year.

Jonathan Rockey is pastor of St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer. Contact him at jonrock53@mtaonline.net.

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