Scripture Reading: Matthew 26:40-41
I had been standing in this point of Poplar tress since first light after dropping off my friend, Danny, two miles to the north to push through a large Tamarack swamp. It is now about 10:30 a.m. I’m cold and bored. I wish Danny would come through so we could get going.
As I stood looking at the snow I had packed down standing there the last four hours, my rifle leaning against the tree next to me, I heard a muffled grunt. My whole being was totally awake as I rolled my eyes to the left. There stood a nice ten-point buck at seventy five yards, steam rolling out of his nostrils. As I reached for my rifle and brought it to my shoulder all my strength left me for a split second. The buck detected my movement and, with two bounds, was over a deadfall and gone. I got off two quick shots and never cut a hair on him. I had let the hours of waiting and watching lull me to an off-guard attitude and steal all the preparation and time it took to put myself in position to harvest that nice buck.
In our walk with the Lord, we can become bored and impatient and miss opportunities that He brings to us to further His kingdom. Let’s not be caught off-guard and miss the opportunity to help gather the harvest for the Lord. Jesus says in John, “I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” (4:35). He told his disciples in Matthew 9:35, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.”
PRAYER: Father God, I thank you for the opportunities you put before us to win others to the Kingdom. I pray you would keep me alert at all times for these opportunities. That I would not become bored, impatient or complacent in waiting. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
© 1996 Tom Rakow. All rights reserved. Taken from their “Devotions for Deer Hunters” Vol. III ©. Dr. Rakow is the President of The Christian Deer Hunters Association (CDHA) and Rock Dove Publications. He has granted permission for us to post his devotions. They publish several other Christian devotions in booklets. CDHA's address is P.O. Box 432, Silver Lake, Minnesota, 55381. Their phone number is 320-327-2266. http://www.christiandeerhunters.org is their Web address. Rock Dove’s phone number is 1-888-HIS-DOVE. Their Web address is http://www.rockdove.com. I, Randy Rowley, will be happy to check out a Rock Dove booklet (Devotions for Dog Lovers or The Story of the Prodigal Pooch) or a CDHA newsletter or devotional booklet ("Devotions for Deer Hunters" Volumes II, III, or IV) to FCS members only.