I remember like it was yesterday. It was deer season—my wife’s least favorite time of year, I think. Nothing like spending the whole day away from the house and then coming home with nothing. But that’s a whole another subject. Anyway, it was dark and freezing, but I was determined to come home with a huge buck that day. Making my way through the forest, I found a perfect tree to climb and wait in until light. As I sat in silence, shivering from cold, a million thoughts ran through my mind, namely why in the world am I here right now? At this point, I’m totally hating deer hunting. But then it happened: something huge started coming my way. I couldn’t see it, but from the sound it was making in the brush below, I knew it was enormous. How many points was this monstrosity going to be? My heart racing, I prayed it would stay in range of my tree until dawn. I couldn’t see it, but I knew it had to be a beast.
My point: I was in the dark, getting excited about something I couldn’t see.
As the sun finally rose and I slowly turned to put this record-breaking deer in my sites, what did I find just a few yards away? A large, ugly, wild turkey! What? Are you kidding me? I had waited in anticipation for this?
How many times have you found yourself in a similar situation? You were excited about something—a business deal, a dream date, some perfect opportunity—and yet when the light was shined upon the subject, it was…let’s just say, less than desirable.
As we all know, life is full of surprises, yet we don’t want to waste time chasing turkeys if we don’t have to! That’s why I love PS 119:105: “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” I love the idea of having a lamp to light my path so I’m not tripped up by what lies ahead in the dark. The wisdom of God found in His Word can illuminate our journey so we navigate more easily and see those occasional turkeys from the very beginning. Not that our lives are without hiccups or frustrations at times, but the light of God’s Word keeps us from unnecessary problems, chasing what isn’t real, and getting stuck in disappointments.
Yet here’s the catch: in order to enjoy a lit path, we must make the conscious decision to use the lamp (the Word of God). It’s our choice to pick it up and carry it on our life journey.
Stay Strong – Eric Shawn
May 13, 2010 at 2:28 pm |
amen brother!!!
May 13, 2010 at 3:12 pm |
Thank you, Larry. We need to get on those bikes again..