Verse of the Day 9/30

Verse of the Day 9/30

Habakkuk 3:19 God, the Lord, is my strength;

    he makes my feet like the deer's;
    he makes me tread on my high places.    English Standard Version (ESV)

Whenever I read today's verse a picture comes to my mind from a time in the Rocky Mountains and watching several mule deer traverse a clear cut running at full speed without breaking stride or legs for that matter.  It would take a human probably and hour to cross the same field that they did in a minute or two.

This passage just happened to come up in my reading through the Old Testament on Friday.  That day, my son Jeff and I went out on a hunt here in North Carolina hosted by Back in the Woods Again, through a local church and in cooperation of the state DNR, working with land owners to provide an opportunity for hunters who due to injury, illness, birth defects or other challenges that would make hunting difficult if not impossible.  Through this, somewhere around 80 hunters harvested about that many deer, most of the meat from which was donated the hurricane relief efforts here in North Carolina.

While thinking about how the deer managed to go through a treacherous field seemingly with ease, it came from a lifetime of dealing with those challenges, it became second nature to them.  So it is with how many of the disabled face life.  Life is a challenge every day and they do it one day at a time, trusting in God, family and others to help see them through and navigate life's challenges.

Seeing the faces of my son Jeff and the other hunters and the joy of just being out there with loving, helpful people, enjoying God's creation and others and perhaps harvesting a deer, made them feel like "king of the mountain" (verse 19 The Message).  If only for a day.

However, in Christ, we look forward to a day when He will wipe all the tears from our eyes, eliminate all the handicaps and challenges, and navigate eternal life as if if were second nature.  In Christ we have this hope.

In whatever challenges you may be facing, know that the Lord God is your strength, and He can make your feet, like the deer's, to tread, to walk, to run on high places.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Habakkuk 3:17-19 The Message (MSG)

^17-19 Though the cherry trees don't blossom
    and the strawberries don't ripen,
Though the apples are worm-eaten
    and the wheat fields stunted,
Though the sheep pens are sheepless
    and the cattle barns empty,
I'm singing joyful praise to God.
    I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.
Counting on God's Rule to prevail,
    I take heart and gain strength.
I run like a deer.
    I feel like I'm king of the mountain!