Tree Stands and Scripture Verses

I'm what you might call and avid outdoorsman. I love to be outside. In fact, one of the most difficult aspects of my responsibilities as pastor is to stay in my office long enough to study and prepare to teach (Praise God for lap top computers!). I am actually a water fowler. For me, the smell of swamp gas in an early morning sunrise is a little taste of heaven on earth. The sounds, smells and experiences of the outdoors truly testify to the creator and give me occasion for special times of fellowship with God.
Recently I've taken up deer hunting. I don't hunt on a club so I don't hunt with dogs. I still hunt. One of the reasons I've never been much of a deer hunter is because I haven't had the patience to sit in a tree for long periods of time to wait on some deer that may or may not show. Since Susan and I have four little boys who make life interesting and loud, I've found that a few hours in a deer stand is a good thing!
There are so many good things about hunting and having the opportunity to get somewhere alone with the Lord and to have the time to read the Bible and reflect on what it says. There are just so many good things that can come from hunting. The sky seems bluer. The bird songs seem purer. The wind seems fresher. It seems that in the environment God created, his creation becomes crystal clear. This is a hint of what it was like when God created all that is and said it was good. There is a lot of good stuff in the creation.
In the midst of the good, though, there are some bad things. For instance, mosquitos. Need I say more? Even with the great things about hunting there are some not so good things. Not even a week ago while I was hunting hogs in the lowcountry I fell about 10 or 15 feet out of a tree stand. I landed on my feet, but just barely. The recoil from the fall shoot be backward a few feet where I landed flat on my back in the midst of some cypress knees and roots. The whole episode took about 5 seconds, but it seemed to me like five minutes and for the poor guy watching the whole thing unfold, it seemed to him like an hour!
Other than being sore, you know what I remember most about that whole episode? I remember falling and looking at those roots and thinking, "What's the best way for me to fall so I don't get hurt?" In that moment in time everything seemed still and crystal clear. My mind took over and processed things in an instance that I had not even noticed before - things like the roots. I never even saw them until I was falling toward them. Thankfully, I didn't get hurt too bad and the guy who saw the whole thing is doing better, too.
In that accident, time (actually lack of time) brought into sharp focus the things that really mattered. I saw clearly and responded. When we read the Bible, the same kind of thing happens. The Holy Spirit has a way of helping us to see clearly what God has clearly written for us. God has given us His Word and it is very clear. One cannot read the Bible without a sense of urgency. One cannot read the Bible without gaining a sharper focus on reality. On cannot read the Bible without gaining some insight. For the Christian, the Bible speaks to us by helping us to develop the mind of Christ. We learn from him what he would have us know and what he would have us do. The reason he does this is that in the events of life when time is short and consequence is approaching quickly, the mind will take over and show us things we've never noticed before. The Chrisitan's responsibility is to develop the mind of Christ so that the Christian's privilege of divine leadership can be realized.
The Christian man can see the dangers of adultery without having to commit them. The Christian woman can see clearly the dangers of lust without having to commit them. The Christian can overcome doubt and fear because the Bible clearly shows us how to do those things. For the Christian who spends time in the Word, the mind of Christ within you springs into action when the "roots" of life start coming at you fast. In an instant, God will bring to mind a verse (that you probably read in your tree stand) that will help you navigate your way without losing your step. The Bible is clear enough. Why not read it, today?