The smoke from the starting pistol floated through the air as hundreds of boys began to yell, scream and holler like packs of wild dogs chasing after the elusive gold of the 1800′s. It was the start to the annual Bluegrass Council Boy Scout’s Klondike Sled Challenge. Named after the great Gold Rush it tested the scouting abilities of each troop represented at the race. 10 stations over the entire course would challenge individual skills. The terrain and length of the course would challenge the durability and design of the sled. The strain of the event would challenge the team spirit and the relationship between boys and fathers.
“No son. The a-u-g-e-r. The thing that looks like a drill. Hand me that,” my dad would say in a long drawn out and agitated statement. We were building our first Klondike sled and my brother and I were more than just eager. Ww were twin boys hyped-up on Saturday morning, sugar-laced Captain Crunch and kool-aid prepared to show our dad how good we were at “NOT” listening or paying attention.
“Hold this still!” exclaimed dad. “Would you boys stop?!? Look at the instructions. Son! I am going to wear you out!” the tired words of a frustrated father would soon surrender in frustration after his boys obviously didn’t have the patience to build an award-winning ‘Klondike Sled.’
Dad would finish that sled. We were certain we had much more involvement in the making of that sled than we actually did.
The big day of the race finally came. I remember the pride of unloading our Klondike Sled out of the back of that truck. My mom and dad both chipped in with painting and graphic design. Long before computers came out, my mom free-handed “Troop 82″ along with the Boy Scout logo. It was something else! We felt a great deal of pride when all the others gathered around to admire “OUR” creation.
“BANG!” Shouting, whooping, hollering! We were off to prove what we could do. 10 Stations that would test our skills and we were good at what we did. We would win many of the stations and we would cross that finish line. We had accomplished what we set out to do. We would get a metal and our pictures would be in the news. We would bow our chests out and feel the pride of for that which we had fought. All along, our dad was smiling and proud of what his boys had accomplished.
Joshua recounted the victories of Israel in the land of Canaan. They were a well refined army accomplishing every goal they set out to accomplish. Proud of what their heavenly Father had given them, they dominated the competition. They routed their opponent. At the time Joshua gathered them together and then reminded them of a very important principle and truth of their success:
3And you have seen all that the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake, for it is the LORD your God who has fought for you. Joshua 23:3 (ESV)
Gently interrupting our “pat-yourselves-on-the-back” celebration, my mom kindly said, “Boys, you know you couldn’t have done what you did if your dad hadn’t built that sled AND taught you how to tie those knots. You need to go thank your dad and give him a hug.”
God is always fighting our battles. Whether it’s an insignificant Klondike sled or a major move in the security of our lives, God is always in front.
When we give our “all-in” God has already given us His all!
Be Blessed!
Pastor Bryan
