Fix Your Eyes On Jesus
"You shot me!" Two friends and I were hunting ptarmigan on our snowshoes north of Paxson Lake. We were walking beside each other in a line about 40 yards apart. The birds flushed right in front of us and I shot straight ahead. As my dog retrieved the bird, I turned and shuffled as quickly as I could over to help my wounded friend. I knew that I hadn't shot in his direction, but I figured our other partner must have. I was wrong. Somehow a single BB from my 12 guage ricocheted off brush or a tree and flew 90° sideways and hit my friend in the hand...
I guess... He wasn't wearing gloves, and there were no marks on his hand and no blood, but he swears he felt a BB hit his hand. To say that we were 'safety conscious' is an understatement. We ALWAYS stayed in a line, waiting for each other if someone had a more difficult path. We ALWAYS shot only straight forward. These were our rules and we followed them. But accidents DO happen.
After all, we live in a broken world. Jesus said, "In THIS world you will have trouble, but take heart- I have overcome the world." Why, then, does unexpected trouble- the doctor saying, "It's cancer"- a loved one dying- why does this always hit us as wrong and unfair? Because you and I were created for more than THIS world. We were created for perfection. We were created to live forever.
ONLY those who have been forgiven- who have been saved by faith in Jesus Christ- will live forever in that perfect world. He said, "I am the gate." We MUST enter through Him. THIS life is a mixture of pleasure and pain, joy and disappointment, success and difficulty- but that's only THIS world. Fix your eyes on Jesus. When unexpected trouble comes, you will have strength for today, and you will be blessed! -Pastor Brad
Written on May 6, 2025
Posted in Daily Devotions