| Outdoor Truths: Aiming Outdoorsmen Toward Christ Nov. 18th |
Gary Miller ~ out
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I’ve recently been reminded of a turkey hunt back in the spring. Yeah, I know it’s deer season and what I’m reminded of happens in deer season as well, but my turkey account is more prominent in my mind.
There I was with Ed in a blind, trying not only to unload on a turkey, but get it on film as well. We were waiting for the lull of mid morning to pass. Ed was fast asleep while I was writing my thoughts in my journal. I had a lot on my mind so I was wrapped up in transferring those thoughts to paper before I forgot them (it’s an age thing). All of a sudden I looked up and there he was; a big tom about 60 yards away. I jabbed Ed. He came to, hit record, and zoomed in, almost in the same movement. I made a good shot and the rest is history; a two-bearded interruption that was my best turkey of the year.
Yes it was an interruption. It interrupted a good nap and some worthwhile notes. It interrupted good things and important things. It was unexpected and untimely, but that’s the way the best things happen.
If there’s one word that describes us today it is “busy.” While our technology was supposed to allow us to streamline our lives, it only caused us to add more stuff into the time that was saved. As a result, the hard truth is we are too busy for anything that is not scheduled or planned. If you are a Christian, you are missing most of what God wants to bring into your life if you are living this way. He just doesn’t do most of His work according to your Day-Timer.
Most of us are thrown out of kilter if we receive a visit, email, or phone call that is not expected or within the parameters of when nothing is going on. But when is nothing going on? When are we not busy? When is a good time? The problem is that we have misunderstood our purpose and our place. We have taken God’s rightful place as provider and thus assume that our purpose is found in inanimate objects instead of the people that God sends, sometimes unexpected, into our lives. We assume that if an unexpected phone call, email, or visit is without material and personal gain, it must be relegated to things of lesser importance. We have forgotten that God places people into our lives in order that we might minister to them with whatever God has given us. We have forgotten that God’s stuff is not our provision, but He is. We have forgotten that we are here for people – all people – even the ones that bring us nothing in return.
What about today asking God to forgive you of placing things before people and for asking Him to work within your parameters. Ask Him to forgive you of busyness that doesn’t bring about any eternal significance. And ask Him to make you sensitive to those things this week that will enter your life unexpected. Ask Him to help you to understand that interruptions are why you’re here. The rest is just stuff.
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