November 20, 1997, August 18, 1997 | July 6, 1997 | June 8, 1997 | March 23 | March 9, 1997 | February 17, 1997 | January 5, 1997 | Nov 30, 1996 | Dec 15, 1996 | Dec 22 |

---

Hi, my name is Rich Pedersen, and I'm the chaplain for Bowhunting.Net. I am an ordained pastor serving in central Texas. I have been a pastor for nine years and a bowhunter for one. Mostly, I hunt wild hogs, with the occasional trip to go for whitetail. My purpose in this column is to address the spiritual side of life as a bowhunter. I will talk about Scripture, prayer, commentary as needed, and answers to questions which come up over time.

If any of you have them, I'd love to receive questions or suggestions for topics. Address them to: chaplain@bowhunting.net. My only rule about this is that there is no such thing as a dumb question. If it is important enough for you to want to know, then it is important enough for me to answer if I can. God be with you, my bowhunting brothers and sisters......Fr. Rich 

Fr. Rich's Christmas gift idea

If you have a deer hunter on your Christmas gift list, I have a low-cost, high-blessing suggestion for you. Last year, my wife got me a copy of "A Look at Life From a Deer Stand", by Steve Chapman. It's a short little collection of essays by a man gifted at reflecting on life's experiences while they are still happening to him, rather than much later, when most of us find our minds kicking into gear.

Steve write with love for our sport, love for the deer we pursue, and even more, with love for the God he serves. He tells stories, and draws out lessons from them, with gentle humility. We even get to laugh with him a few times along the way. I think my favorite story is the one in which he tells of how he and his son each arrowed their first deer ever on the same morning of the same hunt.

The closeness and joy of family as a reflection of the love of God just shine through this little book. Reading it has deepened my own love of hunting and my appreciation of my wife and kids. My sons, Patrick and Aaron, are still too young to hunt, and it feels like I can't wait. But actually, I can, because it will be worth the wait. My wife, Jan, and daughter, Ruth Anne, will never hunt, but are still a part of my hunting. They cheer me on, they tease me each time I miss a shot or don't see anything, or get rained out, all the while telling me how much they are looking forward to a freezer full of venison.

Chapman's book speaks to these blessings and many others, recognizing on each page that God is the ultimate source of them all. It will make great off-season reading for any hunter, enriching the season just past, and nursing the sparks that already form, sparks of "wait until next year…"

Prepare the way…

For all of you from churches of a higher liturgical style, you probably already know that next Sunday marks the beginning of the season of Advent, the season of preparation. In the church, we look back to the past to prepare to receive the Christ child again, and we look forward to the time (whenever that will be), when he comes again. The ministries of Isaiah and John the Baptist, with their themes of being alert, and being prepared, are highlighted. Every preacher's theme is "get ready and stay ready."

The end of November and the first half of December are also a season for major whitetail hunting, at least here in Texas. Which makes September and October a different kind of Advent, though in many ways similar. We look back to prior years' hunts for lessons, we review our scouting notes for the signs, we study our "Bibles" of Parks & Wildlife regulations, we search the skies for a good hard cold snap, and we wait. And wait. And wait, so that when the time is fulfilled, we will be ready.

It would not be hard to paraphrase the parable of the wise and foolish virgins into the wise and foolish hunter, now, would it? Or turn the house built on sand into the treestand erected in a sapling?

We are good at preparing to see that first trophy buck, because we know how much depends on it. Are we as good at preparing to see Jesus? May you all have a blessed Advent leading to the Word dwelling ever more richly in your life. May your Christmas bring you joy. And may you see Jesus.

A Bowhunter's Thanksgiving

I am writing this a week before Thanksgiving. I am writing this in the evening after a good day hunting. As I put these two things together, I realize that as a bowhunter, I especially have a lot to be thankful for.

I am grateful, first and always, to my Lord and my God, for gifts and blessings which make a list 44 years long and still growing. I am grateful to my beautiful wife, Jan, and all my kids, for their love and affection every day, but also for this: they don't always understand or share my passion for the outdoors and for bowhunting, but they love me enough to respect that passion, and to give me the time and space to pursue it. I am grateful that I live in a place where I have the freedom and the opportunity to enjoy our sport. I am grateful to and for the friends I have made among other bowhunters; for teaching, for hunting opportunities, and for their friendship itself.

I am grateful for the peace and joy that all of these gifts bring into my life, and I pray that in receiving, I might find the grace to give, too.

Thanksgiving is the holiday which helps us grow in holiness, by encouraging in us the godly trait of gratitude. And remember, thanks must be given. It is not enough to just feel it, you must express it, as well. Let's all do that this year, at the grace before the feast when we talk to God, and around the table as we talk with those we love.

Thankfully yours, Father Rich

August 18, 1997

"You shall be my witnesses"

Several of you have written me over the last few months, asking for thoughts on remaining true to your Christian convictions while being a bowhunter. Those of you who wrote were not terribly specific on the situations you are in, so I'm not certain I understand your difficulty. Whatever it is, however, remember that while living as a follower of Christ is not always easy, we are promised help when we need it, and we always have an example in Jesus. So let's look at the issues.

First of all, there is no problem with bowhunting itself for Christians. I've written about this before, and if you are struggling with the issue of Christians hunting per se, read my earlier column. I hope it will help. If you still want to discuss this some more, e-mail me. (I promise to be better about responding to private notes than I have been lately. A new job has kept me really hopping for the last few months. Please forgive me.)

If the problem is not hunting itself, then what is most likely going on has nothing to do with bowhunting or bowhunters at all, really. It is the issue of how to be a Christian in the world, how to be "in the world but not of the world". And let's face it, the way that problem works out for many people is this: "How do I stay faithful to my Lord without being offensive to my friends?" as well as "How do I stay good friends with my buddies and not offend God?" This comes up when the buddies you hang around with are into things that you, as a Christian, should not be. (What some of these things might or might not be will be the subject of a later column.)

There are both negative and positive elements to this. The negative is that Christians get tempted to have a 'holier than thou' attitude towards others. That is a deadly temptation. The positive in all of this is that if you can avoid that temptation, and learn to be with your friends and accept them and love them as Jesus would, you can make God's love real for them in special ways, and that is the best witness of all.

Two things come to mind. First, follow Jesus' example. He hung out with all kinds of people and never worried that this would somehow anger God. In fact, He got angry when the "good religious people" got all upset over the company He was keeping. Seems he never worried that all the drinking, cussing, and fooling around the crowds might be into would either offend the Father or rub off on Him. And after all, these were the very people He came to see. He just stayed aware of who He was, and acted accordingly. Notice that He never engaged in put-downs of the folks He hung with, even those who were fairly notorious 'sinners'. He was just himself, and there is no reason in God's green woods that we can't all do likewise.

You see, it isn't even us, really, who draws people to God by our witness. It is God Himself. Jesus said, 'no one can come to me unless the Father draw Him'. And this is especially true with our friends and families, and most of all true with those who knew us before we became Christians and God began His work in our lives. Any self-conscious display of righteousness with our old hunting or drinking or whatever buddies will only convince them that we've turned into one more hypocritical Christian to avoid, and that's an outcome none of us wants.

What it all comes down to is this: 'Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven'. If God is at work in your life (and He is), then your part is merely to let that be seen naturally. Then people will know it is genuine, they will see that even though God has changed you in ways they don't entirely understand, you are still the person they've always known, only better. And it is the 'better' that will someday, by God's grace, lead them to ask you to tell them more.

In the meantime, suit up with your friends and have a good hunt.

Fr. Rich

July 6, 1997

Robert Hoague talked me into this so here goes. . .

High summer is the time when it seems everything in life is a little less serious. Things move more slowly (unless you have three kids on summer vacation as we do at Casa Pedersen). Even the sun stays up late.

Sure you have to go to work, but summer is a good time to explore new things, taste new foods, listen to new jokes....

After Quasimodo's death, the bishop of the cathedral of Notre Dame sent word through the streets of Paris that a new bell ringer was needed. The bishop decided that he would conduct the interviews personally and went up into the belfry to begin the screening process. After observing several applicants demonstrate their skills, he decided to call it a day when a lone, armless man approached him and announced that he was there to apply for the bell ringers job.

The bishop was incredulous. "You have no arms!"

"No matter," said the man, "observe!"

He then began striking the bells with his face, producing a beautiful melody on the carillon. The bishop listened in astonishment, convinced that he had finally found a suitable replacement for Quasimodo. Suddenly, rushing forward to strike a bell,the armless man tripped, and plunged headlong out of the belfry window to his death in the street below.

The stunned bishop rushed to his side. When he reached the street, a crowd had gathered around the fallen figure, drawn by the beautiful music they had heard only moments before.

As they silently parted to let the bishop through, one of them asked, "Bishop, who was this man?"

"I don't know his name," the bishop sadly replied, "but his face sure rings a bell." {Stop groaning, there's more....} The following day, despite the sadness that weighed heavily on his heart due to the unfortunate death of the armless man the bishop continued his interviews for the bell ringer of Notre Dame.

The first man to approach him said, "Your excellency, I am the brother of the poor, armless wretch that fell to his death from this very belfry yesterday. I pray that you honor his life by allowing me to replace him in this duty."

The bishop agreed to give the man an audition, and as the armless man's brother stooped to pick up a mallet to strike the first bell, he groaned, clutched at his chest and died on the spot. Two monks, hearing the bishop's cries of grief at this second tragedy, rushed up the stairs to his side.

"What has happened?" the first breathlessly asked, "Who is this man?"

"I don't know his name," sighed the distraught bishop,"but he's a dead ringer for his brother." 

Major Biblical Idea Comes from Archery

Did you all know that the Bible's discission of a very important subject, sin, came directly from the world of archery? Not that archers are bigger sinners than anyone else. Who else would know better the value of 'straighten arrow'? (Or was that 'straight and narrow'?) But the WORD used in the New Testament to describe sin is a technical term from ancient archers.

When the New Testament speaks of 'sin', the Greek word it uses is 'hamartia', which means 'to miss the mark', as in, "I sighted with the wrong pin" missed, or "a wind came up suddenly" missed, or even "I don't know how it happened but I..." missed. What you aimed for, you missed.

Jesus was telling us two things in this description of sin. First, that there is a definite goal, or target, in life, and that is holiness, living your life in God's way instead of the way of the world. Second, you either do it or you don't. A "mark" as a target wasn't a set of concentric rings, where you could get points even without the bulls-eye. A mark was a spot that you either hit or missed, and if you missed, it didn't matter by how much. You missed.

Sin is the same way. Any sin, even the ones we think of as "little" ones, as "no big deal", are still misses. They do us no credit and they bring no happiness to God.

Which all sounds pretty bleak, except for one thing: Jesus.

How do you get better at shooting a bow? You practice. And practice. And practice. You never give up. Your goal is a perfect shot every time you draw, so that when you draw on an animal, or in a competition, you can do so with confidence. And if you have a good coach, you have one who doesn't get mad and give up on you just because you miss, even if that's a lot of the time. In fact, he or she expects you to miss, because they know how hard it is to do what you are attempting. So as long as you are willing to keep trying, they are willing to do everything in their power to help you succeed.

That's how it is with Jesus and our efforts to live holy and Christ-like lives. He knows how hard it is to do, because He has done it Himself. In fact, it is so hard that He is the only one who ever did it perfectly, and He knows that, too. But just like a perfectly patient coach, He will be right there with each of us every time we take on a problem or any other situation in life, and try to do it like He would.

And also like that perfect coach, He will rejoice with us each time we succeed.

March 23

Brothers and Sisters,

I wish I could claim credit for having written this. It so beautifully and powerfully expresses the essence of God's love. It came to me from a friend, and I pass it on to you. As we near Good Friday, remember that Jesus said, "It is finished".

Peace forever, Fr. Rich

The Room

In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features save for the one wall covered with small index-card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endlessly in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read "Girls I Have Liked". I opened it and began flipping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one.

And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was. This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match.

A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching. A file named "Friends" was next to one marked "Friends I Have Betrayed".

The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird. "Books I Have Read", "Lies I Have Told", "Comfort I Have Given", "Jokes I Have Laughed At". Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: "Things I've Yelled at My Brothers." Others I couldn't laugh at: "Things I Have Done in My Anger", "Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents". I never ceased to be surprised by the contents. Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped.

I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my 20 years to write each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.

When I pulled out the file marked "Songs I Have Listened To", I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of music, but more by the vast amount of time I knew that file represented.

When I came to a file marked "Lustful Thoughts", I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size, and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content. I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded.

An almost animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: "No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!" In an insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.

Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh. And then I saw it. The title bore "People I Have Shared the Gospel With". The handle was brighter than those around it, newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.

And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of shame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key.

But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him. No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus. I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own. He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one?

Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me. He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.

Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.

"No!" I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was "No, no," as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood.

He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side. He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, "It is finished."

I stood up, and He led me out of the room. There was no lock on its door. There were still cards to be written.

March 9

Let's Laugh a Little

For everyone who thought religion was all long faces and sober-sides seriousness and all about "thou shalt NOT" and other such usually cheerless stuff, lighten up a bit with what follows. I dedicate this column to anyone out there who needs a laugh today. Warning: I like puns, so you might groan a little, too.

Q. How would the Bible be different if it had been written by college students?
A. In two ways.
• First, there would only be 5 commandments, but because they would be double-spaced with wide margins, it would still LOOK like 10.
• Second, instead of creating the world in 6 days and then resting, God would have goofed off for 6 days, pulled an all-nighter to get it finished on time, and then hoped no one noticed. (sent to me by Sam)
Q. In what two books does the Bible mention baseball?
A. Genesis and John, which both start out talking about what happened "in the big inning....."
Q. Who was the shortest man in the Bible? (It was not Knee-high-miah.)
A. One of Job's friends, Bildad the Shuhite.
Q. What Japanese car figures prominently in the New Testament?
A. The disciples were all together in one Accord.

February 17

Keeping A Holy Lent

When I was a kid in New York and New Jersey, this time of year was always punctuated by school-yard conversations among my friends about "What are you giving up for Lent?" The answer was usually candy, or gum, or soda, or something else good. My family was neither Catholic nor particularly devout, so for years I had no real idea what everyone was talking about, or why God wanted you to skip chewing gum for a month and a half. Eventually I figured out that the forty days before Easter were called "Lent", and that you were supposed to give up something you liked during that time. I never did figure out why.

As I grew up, the concept of fasting for spiritual discipline gradually came clear to me, and these kind of practices for Lent made more sense.

As I grew up more, and studied and was ordained, I realized that, even though they make sense when you really think about it, for too many people they remain the somewhat mysterious and puzzling ritual that you know is somehow good for you, but couldn't explain, and you still wonder if it really does all it is claimed to do. By the way, this applies not only to Catholics, but to Episcopalians, Methodists, and Lutherans, too. Even the Baptists (even the preachers) I know who embrace Lent still remain a bit puzzled about the why and how of it all.

Let me turn it around, and see if this helps. What is the purpose of Lent? More broadly, what is the purpose of any spiritual discipline? It is to get closer to God; to be more like He made us and wants us to be.

With that in mind, let me suggest that this year, instead of giving up something, you TAKE ON something that you KNOW will bring you closer to God. Pray for an extra ten minutes each morning. Read a chapter of the Bible a day, or set a pace that will have you reading a book of the Bible a week. Volunteer extra time to help out at one of your church's ministries. You know better than I what will work to bring you closer to Christ. Just keep that purpose in mind. Make it a part of your prayer that God will use what you do to make you a better Christian, to know and share His love more than you do now.

I'd love to hear from anyone who wants to write and tell me what you are taking on for Lent. I promise that I will pray for success for any who do.

Your Lent will be holy when it works to make you holy. God bless you with a holy Lent.. . . .Fr. Rich

TOWARDS A BIBLICAL HUNTING ETHIC

"In those days Israel had no king; every man did what was right in his own eyes." -- Judges 21:25

These final words of the book of Judges sum up the Bible's description of a people in chaos. There was as yet no Law; everyone made up their own rules as they went along, and as a consequence, Israel was constantly in trouble, threatened with slavery or annihilation.

I don't think that the bowhunting community is in the same dire position as the people of Israel were in 3500 years ago. However, judging from the ethical lapses, plain stupidity, and occasional criminal misconduct which you read about in the press and our own bulletin boards, let alone triumphant, "see, we told you so" literature from the anti's, we still have too many hunters doing what is right in their own eyes. This is short-sighted, and bad for the image of our sport, and could prove disastrous to the future of bowhunting in this country.

Many people talk about "fair chase" as a standard. Every time some new device to help the hunter is marketed, the debate resurfaces. That is not what I'm writing about today, though. Today, I am talking about basic ethical principles which will enable us bowhunters to continue to co-exist with the non-hunting majority. Here are my thoughts on some principles from the Bible which make up the beginnings of an ethic for us to follow. If you have more to suggest, write me, or let's talk about it in the Clubhouse.

1. Never waste an animal killed. If you don't want the meat, someone else will. (Hunting for predator control is an obvious exception here.) See my earlier column for more on the principles of stewardship as they apply to hunting.
2. Never release an arrow if you cannot see every inch of the path it will take, even if you miss the animal you are aiming at.. Jesus warned that we will have to account for every careless word we utter. How much more every careless use of a deadly weapon?
3. For the same reason, never hunt when under the slightest impairment due to alcohol or drugs, even medicine.
4. Be scrupulous in obeying the laws of the state, and the rules of the landowner, every time you hunt. Not only is every violation a black eye for our sport, but St. Paul wrote to the Romans to, "submit to the governing authorities."

As I said, these are probably only a minimum, but they are at least that. They address our responsibility to wildlife, to other people, and to the law. As the 1996 seasons wind down, let's all make a renewed concern for ethical hunting a part of our preparation for next year.

Until next time,
God bless you all. Fr. Rich 

Everyone has heard that there are no atheists in foxholes. Any pastor can tell you that there are no atheists in hospital beds. I'm also willing to bet there are no atheists in tree stands, either. Is there any bowhunter who has not prayed something like this, "God, you own the cattle on five thousand hills. Yours are the deer in a thousand forests. Please send a big one my way." Or perhaps, more simply, "Please, God, the sun's almost down. Lead something my way."

Have you ever thought about what a wonderful occasion for prayer your time in a stand or blind can be? Alone in the pre-dawn dark and stillness, it is easy to believe God can hear you, and easier than usual to believe you can hear God. Watching the forest come awake at dawn, or feeling it settle in for the night, bathed in the beauty of the sunset, you can almost physically feel the presence of the One who created all that beauty.

At such a time, prayer is a natural response, and a wonderful way to pray is with a psalm. Not one from the Bible: one of your own. Composing a psalm is easy. It can be long or short, simple or elaborate. A psalm is nothing more than a true expression of life by a heart after God. Whether of joy or sorrow, wonder or fear, the thing that gives beauty to a psalm is the honesty before God which it displays. What you come up with will teach you more about yourself and your life with God than you could ever imagine. And you will be forever closer to Him as a result. Here is one I've written:

O Lord, as the world around me wakes,
So let my soul awaken to your love.
In your goodness you made me,
And placed me in a world of beauty.
May my heart be forever grateful,
For this great gift you have given:
The gift to see and know such splendor,
And see Your hand over all.

Until next time,
God bless you all. Fr. Rich 

A big issue about hunting with many non-hunters, and all anti-hunters, is expressed in the question, "How can you enjoy killing something?" Religious hunters, hunters who are known as men and women of God, get it a little differently. We are asked, "How can you deliberately kill another of God's creatures?"

Though they are related, the questions are not identical.

The first springs from a misunderstanding of the nature of our sport. Many people do not realize that there is much more to hunting than the kill, and that we are certainly not about "killing for the thrill of it". Hunters know this, but many others do not, and, simply, our responsibility is to communicate the whole truth about hunting, especially our love and respect for the animals we pursue, every time we open our mouths on the subject. For honest people of good will and a desire to learn, this will answer the objection.

The spiritual issue raised by the second question is a bit more complex. Where it is not just the first objection all dressed up in religious clothing, the real question here is, "Do God's people have a right to exercise the power of life and death over God's other creatures?"

Simply put, the answer is "yes, with a qualification".

Genesis 9 describes the covenant God made with Noah after the Flood, God's first attempt to make a new start with mankind. As a part of the covenant, God gave us "everything that lives and moves" for our food. Before the Fall, Adam and Eve were vegetarians, but after Noah that changed. And in this covenant, God explicitly included wild animals as well as livestock. All creatures are "given into our hands". That gives us the right to kill animals as a prt of managing the planet.

Our role in nature, in creation, however, is that we are stewards. God has given it into our hands to care for, that it may grow and prosper. We do not own it. Therefore, we are responsible for the way we treat it. We cannot squander its resources.

We dare not treat any part of God's handiwork with a selfish lack of respect. Creation does not belong to us, but God has placed us over it in part that it can meet our needs for food, clothing, and shelter. Also, of course, by their beauty and wonder, God's creatures point to Him as their maker, and so draw us who appreciate them closer to Him, as well.

Belonging to God and made by Him, no animal's life should be taken casually or cruelly. Jesus told us that God notices even the death of a sparrow. Within the bounds of respect, though, and with a recognition that wild animals have been given to us as a gift, hunting has its place in a godly management of the world of which we are stewards. ..................Fr. Rich 

HUNTING ON SUNDAY???

For many, hunting on Sunday is not an issue as several states do not allow it, but for others, it is an issue which must be settled in their conscience and nowhere else. Here are just a few thoughts from a pastor (the one who notices, and who misses you, if you aren't in church).

If your relationship with Christ is sincere and secure, there is no problem missing the occasional Sunday morning to hunt. The Bible says in Hebrews not to "give up" meeting together; missing now and then is not a sin. The Bible also quotes Jesus, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath." If you get an opportunity to go on a trip, you needn't pass merely because it would mean hunting on a Sunday.

On the other hand, don't hide behind this freedom to hunt. Notice I talked about a sincere love of Christ, and said that missing the occasional Sunday was not sinful. Don't use hunting as your seasonal excuse to avoid going to worship with the wife and kids (I say "wife" 'cause it's usually guys who do this).

And for heaven's sake, enjoy the beauty of creation, but never fall into the trap of confusing the creation with the One who created it. Even the most glorious of sights in the wilderness are not the face of God, they are just His handiwork, His latest painting.

While we're talking about hunting and church, have you ever thought of offering to take your church's youth group out into the woods to share some of that beauty which you love so much? Especially for kids in suburban or city churches, such a trip would open their eyes to the goodness of God in a whole new way.

As I discussed in the very first Chaplain's Corner, wilderness time is FABULOUS prayer time; notice how often Jesus went into the wilderness when He needed to be alone with His Father. Nevertheless, as He did, we are commanded to go back to His people (the church) where our Christianity is really lived out.

Don't forget to invite your pastor.

Have a blessed and joyous Christmas. I hope you are able to give exactly what you want....................Fr. Rich

The Precious Gift Of Community

To my mind, one of the greatest horrors of life without God is that it is life lived essentially alone. I am convinced tht one of the greatest gifts God gives us in this life is community. Companionship, friendship, communion of the saints; call it what you will, and all these are only parts of the whole. But one of the first things that happens when a man or woman get right with God is that for them, the curse of aloneness begins to break. Not only are we "not alone" in the sense that with God you are never alone, but we find and are found by other people of like mind and commitment, and make them a part of our lives.

Sometimes when we get serious about Christ old attachments are broken; sometimes they have to be. But Jesus promised that anyone who gave up things and relationships in this life for His sake would receive it back a hundredfold, in this life.

We who are Christian bowhunters are doubly blessed in this. In each other we have not only fellow hunters, sharing a passion for our sport, but brothers and sisters, sharing the Passion of Christ and the love of God. I can't tell you the number of friends I have made since becoming a bowhunter, and vocal about the sport as well as my faith. What a joy!

This is not only meant as encouragement for anyone reading this who is alone in life to consider the call of Christ, but also as a word of thanks and appreciation to all of you brothers and sisters who have written, and all of you whom I have met. Finding a fellowship of faith within the community of bowhunting has enriched both for me, as I trust it has for you. As the "off-season" arrives for most of us, remember to work on the ties of friendship that God works to create among us. They are among the very few things in this life we get to take with us to heaven.....................Fr. Rich
| Top | Email Fr. Rich | | Return To Bowhunting.Net |