Redeemed By the Blood of the Lamb

Mackenzie Langham is a student at HPU who served as a Go Now missionary in Missoula, MT this summer.

During my time in Missoula, MT, I had the opportunity to be a counselor at a girls’ camp that took place at Camp Utmost. In my cabin, I had two fellow counselors and nine beautiful 6th and 7th grade girls. One of my girls was named Rose.* At the start of the week, I thought Rose was a shy little girl, but I quickly discovered how wrong I was! This little girl had the energy of Sonic the Hedgehog, and a personality that was filled with awe and excitement! It was wonderful watching as she and the other girls in my cabin grew closer together.

As the week seemed to both inch its way forward and full-on sprint at the same time, Rose asked questions and listened intently to the answers. On the ride to a lake one day, while nearly 30 girls were loudly singing the song, “Oh You Can’t Get to Heaven” in the bus, Rose turned to me and asked about a line in the song. This particular part of the song said, “All my sins are washed away I’ve been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb.”

She was curious about this last line. I proceeded to explain the Jewish sacrifices that took place in the Old Testament to her and then about how Christ Jesus fulfilled the Law by becoming the “Ultimate Sacrifice” or the “Spotless Lamb” for the sins of the people. I connected a previous lesson our cabin had about the Gospel and how we are redeemed by the blood of Christ Jesus, like the song said. “Confess with their mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead will be saved.” (Romans 10:9)

Miraculously, in the midst of the obnoxious singing taking place around us in that bumpy bus ride, Rose carefully listened as I spoke.

Our final night of the week soon arrived. My fellow counselor, Shayla, taught that night’s devotional. At one point she said, “Ok, girls. Now I want all of you to close your eyes. I am going to ask a couple of questions. First of all, raise your hand if you are curious about what it means to be saved.”

Here we counted about half of our girls who had their hands raised. She continued. “Now put your hands down. Second question. Raise your hand if you want to be saved before camp ends.”

One girl raised her hand. It was Rose!

After our devotional ended, we brought the precious girl that the raised hand belonged to outside to have a wonderful life-giving conversation. Within the next half-hour, the Lord worked through this conversation. Rose opened up about things Shayla and I had not realized she struggled with, and we prayed for her with broken hearts and tears. Gently, we explained once more how Christ Jesus died for the sins of the people, and we explained how with God, we will never be alone. In the end, Rose gave her life to Christ. Hallelujah!! It was one of the most beautiful moments I have ever experienced. More tears were shed, and Rose’s name was added to the Lamb’s Book of Life that night. Praise be to God!

Please pray that Rose would grow in her relationship with the Lord, and that her parents would also come to know the Lord. Pray that Rose would have the opportunity to attend a church on a regular basis, even though COVID19 will try to put a dent in that. Our God is bigger.

Our God is so good. Thank you for praying!

*Name Changed