"How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever?...But I trust in Your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in Your salvation. I will sing the Lord's praises, for He had been good to me." (From Psalm 13, NIV)
I don't know why I thought of this earlier today, but I played the song, "Deep River," for my first piano recital at the age of six. Here are some of the words:
"Deep river,
My home is over Jordan,
Deep river, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground.
Oh, don't you want to go,
To the Gospel feast;
That Promised Land,
Where all is peace?
Oh, deep river, Lord,
I want to cross over into campground."
What does a six year old know about this, or even think about this? It is, however, one of the many "spirituals" which kept many a slave going through the centuries of slavery in the American South. "I want to cross over into campground." Think of it. The slaves actually held "camp meetings." The Black slaves of the United States of America surely identified with today's text. Yet they composed many songs which encouraged each other to keep pressing on., "I will sing the Lord's praise, for He has been good to me"?------ "The Gospel feast"
I can remember "camp meetings." They were better than traditional "revival" or "evangelistic" meetings. They were not in church buildings; they were in campgrounds, where else? Some lasted a week, two, and some went on most of the summer. Of course, this seems so remote when you consider today's Western Culture. It is quite rare to hear of "special meetings" going for even one week.
There were camp meetings held regularly at the Mahaffey Campground, not far from Punxsutawney, PA. This was a Christian and Missionary Alliance Campground, but no matter to my United Brethren in Christ Grandparents, Grandpa and Grandma Barnette. They attended the meetings quite often. I don't know if I can remember any "gatherings" quite like camp meetings. People would stay in cabins, share meals together, participate in great worship and experience great preaching. I have only ever attended a couple.
Today's text reminds us that at times there can seem to be a "Deep River" between us and our Heavenly Home, "How long, Lord? Will You forget me forever?" Ezekiel speaks of seeing a river which was ankle deep, then knee deep, then waist deep, then it rose to a depth in which one could only swim. Life seem like that, but I encourage all of us to have the attitude of many of the African Slaves, "Oh, don't you want to go to the Gospel Feast?"
Father, in Jesus' Name, "I want to cross over into campground." Amen.
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
