Joe had an announcement for the group of kids. He told them that there were only three more days of Nature Camp. They were going to spend today building two rafts, and tomorrow they would raft down the Black River to a campground and spend the night camping. On the last day they were going to take a hike with a surprise ending!
Joe told Haley to lead the kids down the trail to the river and he would follow them on the 4-wheeler and trailer. The trailer behind the 4-wheeler was filled with hammers, nails, rope, and other tools that they would need to build the rafts. There was a big pile of boards by the river and 18 empty plastic barrels. Haley did not know what to do with the barrels, so she asked Joe what they were for. Joe told the kids that nine barrels would be tied under each raft so that they would float high above the water.
Joe told the kids that the boys would build a raft and the girls would build a raft and Haley would help both groups. Soon the kids were busy cutting wood and nailing it together. Joe asked if they wanted him to give advice, but they said that they knew what they were doing and did not need any help! Haley was carrying a big armful of boards, and she tripped over her own feet! Boards went flying in every direction and Haley fell onto the boy’s raft! The other kids scrambled to get away from the flying boards and they all fell onto the girl’s raft! The kids got to their feet and looked at the rafts! Both rafts were broken into many pieces. The kids were ready to give up and told Joe that they could never build good rafts.
Joe agreed with the kids; they could never build good rafts! They did not have enough knowledge to build good rafts. Joe said that he was glad that Haley had tripped and caused the rafts to break, because those rafts would have fallen apart if they tried to float them down the river. Joe would not let the kids quit! He told them to clean up the mess of broken boards and then he told them how to rebuild the rafts.
It took a long time to rebuild the rafts; Joe would not let them hurry or take any shortcuts. He supervised every nail that was pounded and every measurement that was made. The kids were tired, but Joe would not let them stop their work! They stopped briefly for lunch and then Joe had them go right back to work!
Finally, at the end of the afternoon, the two rafts were done, and the barrels were tied under both rafts. The kids were tired, but they were very proud of their rafts! With Joe’s help they had built magnificent rafts! They were masterpieces!
While they were waiting for the bus to take them back to town, Joe talked to them about their raft-building adventure and taught them a little bit more about God!
When a person believes in Jesus and asks Him to forgive their sins and come and live in their life, then God begins a great work in their life!
In the Bible in Ephesians 2:10 it says:
For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.
God is a master builder and wants to help each of us to build a magnificent life as a believer. However, most people act a lot like the kids did at the beginning of the day, they thought that they could do it on their own. When a believer does not let God have control of their life, then they will quickly get to a point where their life falls apart, just like Haley broke both flimsy rafts the kids made.
No matter how much a believer messes up their life, God does not give up on that believer! Just like Joe would not let the kids quit building the rafts, God is alongside each believer to help them rebuild their life! The believer must accept God’s help, just the kids accepted Joe’s help to rebuild the rafts.
In the Bible in Philippians 1:6 it says:
And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue His work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.
God’s good work, His masterpiece is getting each believer ready to spend eternity in heaven with Him! A believer must remember that they cannot build their life without God’s help! If they are willing to let God take control and follow His leading in their life, God will do a work great than anything we can imagine!
The rafts are ready for adventures tomorrow, and believers will be ready for an eternal adventure when God is finished making His masterpiece!