Get Close
I've hunted caribou over 1,000 miles south of Anchorage and nearly 1,000 miles north... all in Alaska. Unlike the Adak hunt, the northern hunt was with a bow and arrow. In order to take a caribou with an arrow, you need to get close. Some things can be done successfully from a distance. For example, praying for or sending money to a missionary in a foreign land. Other things require close proximity.
An invitation to church is far more likely to be accepted when personally delivered than if you shout it across the street. To comfort a person who is hurting requires intimacy- it simply doesn't work when you are on the other side of the room. But here's the thing- getting close is not always easy. It requires persistence- a commitment to NOT giving up.
I stayed on a small group of five bulls for more than 10 hours, often jogging across the Arctic tundra to keep them in sight. Finally, after a great many attempts that on the surface looked like failure, I got CLOSE. It is not the pastor's job to lead the world to Christ. That is the job of the church. YOU are the church! Tell the world what Christ has done for you. Invite them to come and hear. Get CLOSE, and you will be blessed! -Pastor Brad
A Brooks Range caribou far north of the Arctic Circle.
Written on April 11, 2026
Posted in Daily Devotions