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Gary Miller
This time of year I will not only have my pack but will stuff it strategically with extra gear to keep me warm. The last garments I put on will be at the bottom of the bag and the first ones at the top. And I always have to make room for rain gear, a screw in umbrella, and the latest book that I’m reading. Oh, and did I mention a snack. I got to have a snack and a drink. Well, you can imagine how most people would think I’m on a week long excursion instead of a morning hunt. But that’s the way I am most comfortable and when I finally arrive in the tree stand, I feel I’m ready for the hunt; because it’s all about the hunt.
When I think about my systematic approach, I frequently think about the Bible passage in Ephesians that tells us to put on the whole armor of God. After Paul the writer describes the battle, and before he lists each piece of armor, he makes this statement. “Having done all to stand, stand therefore….” I like that. Having done all to stand. This is my call to readiness and preparedness. This is my admonition to pack my backpack with thought and effort. This is my challenge to make sure every tool for the battle is in its place and available if needed. But my mind does not go to the hunt. It goes to the spiritual battle that God has called me and every one of us to enter in. For me, the emphasis is not only on my method or my perfectly, concise preparation, but it is on the command to stand. “Stand therefore!” Don’t just sit there. Don’t just admire your gear. Don’t just brag about the fact that you are well prepared. But get off the bench. Get in the fight. Take a few hits. Endure the coldness of the world and the winds of opposition. And if you can’t make a difference, at least make an impression. That’s what God wants from us and He has perfectly built each individual, and especially the man, to not only put on the armor, but to stand.
Gary Miller
gary@outdoortruths.org
