Well, for most of us here on OG, turkey season is fastly approaching. For us in Alabama, youth season opens tomorrow. We have less than 24 hours to go!!! WOOHOO!! We are preparing our vest, getting our calls dialed in, filling the truck up with gas, buying our favorite early morning snacks, making sure the guns or bows are ready to go, and finalizing our off plans from work. Excitement is in the air, and we already have some birds pin pointed, and our work has been done, or has it??
Success, for any turkey hunter, is sometimes a hit and miss thing. There are the unexpecteds like flat tires, stomach viruses, emergency work orders, human errors of not pushing the Benelli bolts far enough forward, which allows no firing of shells, and many others which come to mind.
We can do everything possible, and we still have failures when it comes to turkey hunting. How much time have we put into getting ready to turkey hunting this week? And for the bigger question, how much time have you given Your Heavenly Father? It tells us in the Scriptures, we know not the time when He is coming back.
Matthew 24:30-36 (MSG)
30-31 "Then, the Arrival of the Son of Man! It will fill the skies—no one will miss it. Unready people all over the world, outsiders to the splendor and power, will raise a huge lament as they watch the Son of Man blazing out of heaven. At that same moment, he'll dispatch his angels with a trumpet-blast summons, pulling in God's chosen from the four winds, from pole to pole.
32-35 "Take a lesson from the fig tree. From the moment you notice its buds form, the merest hint of green, you know summer's just around the corner. So it is with you: When you see all these things, you'll know he's at the door. Don't take this lightly. I'm not just saying this for some future generation, but for all of you. This age continues until all these things take place. Sky and earth will wear out; my words won't wear out.
36 "But the exact day and hour? No one knows that, not even heaven's angels, not even the Son. Only the Father knows.
John 14:1-3 (NIV)
14 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God[a]; believe also in me. 2 My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
So, it could be today, tomorrow, a week, we do not know when our Father will arrive. But shouldn't we be prepared for it? Shouldn't we already have our affairs in order, so we can go turkey hunting, and not worry?
Wouldn't it make our other issues of life easier as well, to be prepared for our Father to come back? To have our houses clean, so we may invite Him in?
He's coming in regardless.
The main question is, Will the Lord recognize You as one of His children?
Father God,
Thank You for reminding us You love us, and have already gone and prepared a place for us. We know not the time you will arrive, but are assured You love us enough to come back and take us with You, if we are Your children. Thank You for allowing us to be one of Your children, not by our works or doings, but by the death of Your son Jesus, and accepting Him as our personal Savior.
Forgive us of putting other affairs like turkey hunting before You. Help us to know what messes we need to get straightened up in our lives, and homes. Guide and direct us in the plans You have for each of us, and may we carry these plans out for Your glory and honor.
Be with those which are hurting, scared, and just so tired they may not see the options they have. Spread Your love upon them so they know they have an option of You, the Creator of all. Protect our heats, and guard our minds, filling us with Your Word. Let us be ready for the countdown, though we know not the time of Your arrival, and keep us safe in all our hunting of You, and the turkeys.
For it is in the name of Jesus, our loving Savior, we ask and pray these things, Amen!!
God Bless,
David B.
