October 24, 2012   

Today's Photograph . . . . This Is What I Think About All Year, Being Out Hunting. Thank you!  (Cliff S)

Bible Study Verses

Luke 15:28-32

"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'  

"'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.  But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" (NIV)

 

Thoughts

Gratitude. I've had to think long and hard about that lately. Been on a couple of pretty good hunts this winter, but I never harvested a single animal.

My last evening of a recent elk hunt, I sat on an old juniper log and looked across a beautiful meadow. I was mulling over a blown shot, and at least one blown stalk, and I was feeling pretty sorry for myself. 

Then I shook it off, looked around, took a deep breath and started praying; "God, what am I thinking? I've been in the woods for week. No work, no commitments, this is what I think about all year; being out hunting! Thank you!"

(Ruben C)

Action Point

Sometimes we can forget how well we have it. I am disappointed in my performance this season. One friend said, "I thought you were dead-eye Ruben?" Yeah, whatever! I'll clean up my marksmanship for next season. Anyway, it's about being out there, right? I mean, I'm not in competition with anyone, and God help me if I ever take my passion of hunting and turn it in to that.

The same applies with our spiritual life; don't forget to be grateful for what you have in Jesus! He doesn't forget you or put you on the back burner. He knows you're there, and your reward won't diminish with time. By the same token, remember what that reward is (eternity with Christ) and don't take it for granted. Read  Philippians 2:12.

Sportsmen's Tip of the Day

Most of us already know when "still hunting" to move slow and stop often. What I constantly need to remind myself though is; before you take that first step after you've stopped for several minutes, look around 360 degrees to make sure nothing has snuck up on you, or that you're not about to step into an opening that you haven't totally scanned for game. More than once I stepped out, only to spook an animal that moved in on me while I was looking straight ahead.