“But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.” ~1 Thess 5:4-6
Driving through recent flurries
with fresh snow building up on the sides of the road, I remembered a
similar day back in high school when I was hunting and running a trap line.
The fresh snow was such that I was able to walk very quietly.
A beautiful red fox ran in front of me, and I was captivated by his amazing
color. I managed to remain undetected, and watched carefully
as he ran along a fence line, found a place he liked, and laid down
for a nap. I decided to see how close I could get to him, and
because of the layer of soft snow I was able to sneak to within 10 yards.
I was so close that I could see his whiskers and the rising and falling of
his chest as he breathed, curled up with his nose tucked into his belly,
bushy tail covering his eyes. Although his fur would have brought a
great price, I decided to surprise him rather than harm him. Slowly
cradling my rifle, I clapped my hands together as loudly as I could and shouted
“Gottcha!” He was so surprised that he jumped up and ran
in a circle, unsure of where the threat was coming from. He ran
away along the fenceline like a red bullet as I nearly doubled over with
laughter.
I played the same game with a deer once. I snuck within 15 yards of her and didn’t have the heart to shoot, so I clapped my hands together and yelled “Gottcha!” I was so close that I could see her eyes get big just before she bailed off the mountain.
I can relate to the fox and the deer. Sometimes the circumstances of the world take me off guard and surprise me. Sometimes I’ve reacted to life’s “gottchas” by running in circles, looking comical to somebody I’m sure. I’m continuing to learn the strategic value of resting in Christ, being grounded in Him by being in the right place, rooted in His Word, quickly running to Him and calling out to him in those moments when life surprises me. God is not taken by surprise; He has a plan for us, a plan not to harm us but to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). I find assurance in that today. Christ is my anchoring hope and His Word gives me insights and warnings that help me not to snooze or lie down in the wrong place.
Father, would you empower us to be self controlled and alert. Give us the wisdom to make the right choices today and not go to sleep at the wheel as we live in the shadow of the cross with anticipation of Christ’s return!
I played the same game with a deer once. I snuck within 15 yards of her and didn’t have the heart to shoot, so I clapped my hands together and yelled “Gottcha!” I was so close that I could see her eyes get big just before she bailed off the mountain.
I can relate to the fox and the deer. Sometimes the circumstances of the world take me off guard and surprise me. Sometimes I’ve reacted to life’s “gottchas” by running in circles, looking comical to somebody I’m sure. I’m continuing to learn the strategic value of resting in Christ, being grounded in Him by being in the right place, rooted in His Word, quickly running to Him and calling out to him in those moments when life surprises me. God is not taken by surprise; He has a plan for us, a plan not to harm us but to give us hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11). I find assurance in that today. Christ is my anchoring hope and His Word gives me insights and warnings that help me not to snooze or lie down in the wrong place.
Father, would you empower us to be self controlled and alert. Give us the wisdom to make the right choices today and not go to sleep at the wheel as we live in the shadow of the cross with anticipation of Christ’s return!
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