Good Morning All,
I confess, I am a
“gawker.” You see, I am the son of a
farmer who is the son of a farmer who was the son of a farmer and so on. I think it is genetic. All spring, summer, and fall, whenever we drive,
I love to look at the crops. It used to
be fun to look and see how straight the corn rows were but with auto-steer that
isn’t what it used to be. I still like
to look at the grain as it is growing. I
still like to look at the hay as it is being mowed and baled. I still like to look at the cattle in the
pasture, especially early in the season when the calves are still young and
will jump and play. Yeah, I am a gawker;
I love it. It scares the devil out of my
wife though.
You see I am not only a gawker, but I am
also a “turner” as well. If I am looking
to the left pretty soon, I am driving to the left. Then as I look to the right I started driving
to the right. When she rides with me;
there are at least three “lookouts!” and when she calls me by my full given
name and then says “lookout!” well, you lookout. On those times when she didn’t ride with me; well,
the ditch was a gentle slope, so it wasn’t that big a deal.
This event is very epidemic among farmers,
especially those who are somewhat age enhanced.
I think it starts from when you first learn to plow. When you strike out to plow, you pick a spot
in the distance. It might be a tree or a
fence post or you might walk to the end and place a flag of some sort. So, as you plow, you keep your eyes focused
on that point. As long as you never take
your eye off of that point, you will drive straight at it. If you look away, even for a second or two
you will start to veer off course. So
down through life, you drive where you look.
This tends to be true in our faith walk
as well. Whatever we look to tends to be
the way that we go. If we look to the
Bible for our guidance and answers, we tend to stay there. If we “gawk” and listen to those who spout
lies and untruths well, we tend to pull that way. If we look to those who say God is dead, non-existent,
or irrelevant, well we tend to think maybe that is so. If we look to those who say that the most
important thing in all the world is personal happiness and that we have not
only the right, but the duty to pursue that at all costs; well soon we start to
lose our compassion for others.
Luther defined a “god” like this: A god is
that to which we look for all good and in which we find refuge in every time of
need. To have a god is nothing else that
to trust and believe him with your whole heart… that to which your heart clings
and entrusts itself is, I say, really your God.” Who is your God, who do you look to? Who do you see as the pioneer and perfecter
of your faith? Trust in Jesus!!
Father, keep me focused upon your amazing grace and love that I have in
Jesus. Help me to see that this is how I
grow and live within the safety of your arms.
Be with those who are distracted and bring their eyes back to you. In Jesus’ precious name we pray. Amen
God’s Peace,
Pastor Bret
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