By Linda Shelton
Have you ever wondered what a camel’s humps are for? Camels are a marvel of adaptation for desert living. For example, their lips are covered with an extremely thick skin that even cactus spines can’t puncture. Although camels prefer a diet of wheat, oats, grass and dates, they can eat almost anything that they find in the desert, including cactus and desert scrub.
Also camels can drink up to 30 gallons of water at one time. And then there’s the hump. Most animals have a layer of fat stored under their entire layer of skin. Camels store fat in humps that can weigh up to 80 pounds.
This stored fat enables camels to travel through the desert for five to seven days without food and water; they can loose up to 40 percent of their body weight without injury. Human beings can learn something from the camel.
Store up Provisions. God did not create human beings with humps on their backs and we know that excess fat is harmful to our health, but God’s Word instructs us to store up provisions for desert experiences too.
You may be surprised at what God tells us to store up: “He commands those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant or to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
He commands us to do good, to be rich in good deeds and to be generous and willing to share. (Now here’s the camel part.) In this way we will lay up treasure for ourselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that we may take hold of the life that is truly life.” I Timothy 6:17-19.
So God is saying, “Do you want to take hold of the life that is really life? A life that will sustain you even during the dry desert experiences of your life?” Then He explains how, “Put your hope in God and not in your wealth.”
He adds, “Do good, be rich in good deeds and be generous.” In other words, He’s telling us to have compassion and a genuine concern for our fellow human beings.
And when we do this, He says we’re not only preparing to live in heaven, but live a better life right here; right now on this earth, we’re going to experience the life that is really LIFE.
Carry a Cross. Jesus gave instructions for another form of preparation, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” St. Luke 9:23.
Crosses come in various shapes and sizes. But none of them are comfortable to carry. Most are heavy and can make blisters, not only on the body but also on the heart. But when we are carrying crosses for Jesus, He brings beauty out of them.
The gospel commission itself is a cross, because the principles of the gospel are opposite from the principles of the world. But look at carrying crosses from this perspective, when we get to Heaven, we will never again have the privilege of suffering for Christ’s sake.
Never again will we have the opportunity to pour out our blood, sweat, and tears in an evangelistic effort. Never again will we be able to praise God in spite of the pain and hurt we have and never again will we be able to show the universe that carrying our crosses is a privilege worth even the most intense sacrifice.
Will we listen to the quiet still, small voice that whispers to us today, “Will you do well and live a life rich in good deeds? Jesus said, “Will you take up your cross and follow me?”
All time is relevant. Time is relevant to all times. Whatever you did today is gone; even if you do the same thing tomorrow, it is not today.
Every day changes brings forth new changes, new situations. If you only take the time from your monotonous schedule and realize the change, you will see, no two days are alike.
