Growing up I spent a week of my summers at Kanakuk, a Christian sports camp just outside Branson, Missouri. I remember that they always had a packing list for parents to help make sure you didn’t forget anything. It included things like bedding, swimsuit, water shoes, sunscreen, lots of shorts and T-shirts, and of course, a Bible. There was also a “Do Not Bring” list; things that were not allowed like gum, water balloons, silly string, nerf guns, and electronic devices.

As a kid I didn’t pay too much attention to it, but as an adult it was extremely helpful to know what to pack and what not to pack, what to bring with you and what to leave behind. God does the same thing for the Israelites as they prepare to move into the land that He had promised them. After 40 years of wandering in the desert, they are now ready to enter Canaan. God explains throughout the book of Deuteronomy what they need to take with them and what they need to leave behind. God’s packing list includes things like obedience, dependence, humility, holiness, justice, and gratitude. God’s “Do Not Bring” list includes things like pride, self-dependence, inward focus, and a “me first” mentality.

I love that God is so intentional about preparing His people for what’s next. God knows what it will take for them to be successful in the land, God knows what it will take for them to fail, and God is giving them every chance to be successful! It’s summed up in Deut. 6:3:

“Listen closely, Israel, and be careful to obey. Then all will go well with you, and you will have many children in the land flowing with milk and honey, just as the LORD, the God of your ancestors, promised you.”

It is my prayer for us as Christ Church that we will pack well for our next move. In a matter of weeks, we’ll be “following the cloud” over to the former Sears property at the NWA Mall. It’s a truly beautiful space that can accommodate all our needs for years to come. But it’s only going to go well if we make sure we bring with us all that God would have for us, and we leave behind everything else. We’re going to be looking closely at this list over the next four weeks on Sunday mornings at Christ Church, so I do hope you can join us each week. If you ever have to miss a week, or if you live out of town and just enjoy reading this blog, you can always catch up on the sermons here. Take care, God bless, and happy packing!