Scripture Reading: Matthew 11:28-30
In October of 1975, one of my lifelong dreams became a reality. I went on a deer and elk hunting trip in Montana’s Absaroka Range of the Rocky Mountains between Livingston and Gardner, Montana.
The third day of the hunt started out picture perfect. The sun was shining through a partly-cloudy Montana blue sky. The temperature was about 60 degrees. My friend Lance, an athletic 17 year-old, the youngest member of our party, and I were side hilling high above Immigrant Creek on the west side of the ridge from our truck and camp. We spotted a group of elk which seemed only two or three ravines in front of us. As we moved in their direction time seemed to slip away. By two o’clock in the afternoon, the sky had darkened and it began to snow. In a very short time the snow was almost knee deep. We decided to head back to our truck on the other side of the ridge. As we labored through the snow it became very apparent that we were in a serious situation. I became very fatigued and started to question my ability to continue. Lance warned me of the dangers of stopping and encouraged me to press on.
As we trudged through the now almost waist deep snow, I was read to give up, but Lance continued to break trail and prompt me on. About an hour after dark we came safely to the truck. While we drove down the mountain to our camp I wondered, if I had been alone, would I have made it out without Lance’s encouragement and direction?
Do you ever find yourself going through life on one of those seemingly beautiful, trouble-free days and, by midday, you are in the midst of a storm and needing someone to lead you out? Jesus said 2000 years ago, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life…” (John 14:6). Call on Him today and I know He’ll lead you out.
PRAYER: Lord, I call upon you today. I am in the midst of a “storm” in my life. I recognize that I can not find the way out by myself. I need your help and guidance. Thank you for your promise. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
© 1995 Tom Rakow. All rights reserved. Taken from their “Devotions for Deer Hunters” Vol. II ©. 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. 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.