Outdoor Truths

Gary Miller

I climbed in the barn again this morning. It was raining steadily and I didn’t feel like doing the whole treestand, umbrella, and rainsuit thing. So I parked underneath, climbed up to the upper level with my book and newspaper, and watched for deer between the raindrops and paragraphs. I know it’s not what you might expect of an avid hunter, but we all get a little tired and lazy at times. The barn to me, however, is not just a place to get in an easy hunt; it’s more of a getaway where I can do a lot of things. I can hunt, read, drink coffee, eat, walk around, and talk to myself and God. It’s a place of simplicity. There are no phones and computers and people. I need all of these but I also need the solitude of my sanctuary.

This old barn has provided an abundance of memories. I’ve watched youngsters shoot their first deer from this place. I’ve watched my own son kill a buck from the opening above. And I’ve enjoyed a few success stories myself that have all come from the barn. The hay bales have also served me well. They have provided warmth and protection, a bed for napping, and a real good shooting rest. All in all, it is really a great place to be. Sometimes I’m drawn more to the barn than I am the activity of hunting. During those times hunting is secondary and being in my sanctuary is primary. A sanctuary has several definitions. One says a sanctuary is a sacred or holy place. Another says it is any place of refuge or asylum. In the outdoor world a sanctuary is a tract of land where birds and wildlife, especially those hunted for sport, can breed and take refuge in safety from hunters. 

Sometimes in our life, we are the prey and not the predator. The Bible says that Satan walks about like a roaring lion seeking who he can devour. Our only place of safety in times like these is in our sanctuary. It’s in the place where no one can get to us. It’s our barn. But what is special about our sanctuary is not who is not there, but it is who is there. And that’s why my barn is so special. It’s because of the memories of the times that I have been met there by the One who is my protector and provider, and who welcomes me back, whether it’s in the barn or anyplace that I choose to meet with  Him.

Gary Miller

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