Bible Study Verse
Joshua 14:9
So on that day Moses swore to me, "The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance and that of your children forever, because you have followed the Lord my God wholeheartedly." (NIV)
Thoughts
You're sitting in your deer stand that's located on the edge of a tree line bordering an open field. From your viewpoint you cover the open field and, with an occasional glance you can look down the tree line on either side.
You scan the field - nothing. Scan the tree line to your left - nothing. Next the tree line to your right. Something is moving. Carefully and slowly you break out the binoculars for a better look. It's a good sized buck, browsing, occasionally raising his head, ears twitching, looking to see if he can see and hear you. He hasn't made the connection yet.
It's not a far shot, maybe about 100 yards, give or take a few yards in either direction. Binoculars are put down, and rifle slowly raised to your shoulder. You can clearly see him in the scope. Slowly you squeeze off a shot. The buck doesn't do anything for a fraction a second, trying to understand what just happened, and then bolts off into the trees.
Slowly you carefully climb down from the deer stand, knees a little shaky, breathing a little fast. You're pretty sure you hit him. You start tracking him.
You're in focused pursuit, absolutely critical to lock on to the deer's trail. If you lose your focus, you may very well loose the deer's trail and not find it again. You can't let yourself be distracted. If you do loose the deer's trail, you backtrack to the last point you found clear indication of the deer's movements. In a gentle fan, you begin the search the area for the deer's trail.
(Tom B)
Action Point
In the above scripture, Caleb was focused on taking the land from the Canaanites. I really do like Caleb's statement to Joshua . . .
"Now then, just as the Lord promised, He has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time He said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said," Joshua 14:10-12 (NIV). What a guy! Eight-five years old, not a "spring chicken" anymore, but more than willing to finish the job that Moses had directed the Israelites to accomplish. He hadn't lost his focus!!!
In Joshua and the Flow of Biblical History Francis Schaeffer writes, "It is all too easy to fail to possess the (spiritual assets or) possession God has (intended) because we either draw back out of fear of the troubles...or we become caught up in the affluent society where people sail their little boats upon this plastic culture."
Does such an attitude describe you? Have you lost your focus?
Sportsmen's Tip of the Day
Mark the deer's trail. A marker can help you go back to the last spot you found blood in the event you lose the trail. Toilet paper makes and excellent marker. Orange biodegradable surveyors' tape also works well.
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