Hiding from God with Mountain-Top Experience

Isaiah 1:13-14, 18

      Bring no more vain offerings; 

      incense is an abomination to me. 

                  New moon and Sabbath and the calling of convocations— 

      I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly. 

             Your new moons and your appointed feasts 

      my soul hates; 

                  they have become a burden to me; 

      I am weary of bearing them. 

      “Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: 

                  though your sins are like scarlet, 

      they shall be as white as snow; 

                  though they are red like crimson, 

      they shall become like wool. 

This campout has an annual appointed feast for us.  We look forward to it, it’s once a year and unique.  We have fond memories of past campouts.  There is real blessing in this, and some opportunity for sin, as with every good gift from God that sinners receive.  One danger is we have another tool for self-deception.  The nostalgia and joy and sentimental feelings we have about campouts can cast a curtain over sin we aren’t dealing with.  Yes, that’s still stubbornly sitting there, but it can’t be that bad – I mean, look at the great time we’re having this weekend!  And the very thing God means for our joy and good – an annual feast – we turn into a way to hide from Him.

Let us confess the many ways we hide from God and avoid dealing with our sins against Him.