By Jason Cruise
At five years old my world was filled with the smell of oak trees, the sight of my daddy’s 30-30, the sounds of my granddaddy’s old green truck, and the thrill of going to a cabin where we would journey out to pursue the elusive whitetail.
[Read the Bible Gateway Blog post, Adventurer Bear Grylls Depends on God for His Strength]
I loved the journey as much as the hunt. Bouncing around the seat of the truck while daddy battled the rut-studded roads that beat me to death on the way to the cabin was as much fun as living off of campfires and beef jerky. Yes, the trek to “the cabin” every fall was, except for Christmas morning, the highlight of my year. It was an adventure that I treasured then, and to this day I still treasure the memories.
Jesus also called his disciples to an adventure. Note, however, when Jesus first called his disciples, he never bothered to disclose where they’d be going. He only said, “Follow me” (see Matthew 9:9). In fact, Jesus has never called anyone to a destination; rather, when Jesus calls, he invites us into the journey of a relationship with him.
My early years at the cabin taught me that the ride is just as much fun as the destination. May it be the same for each of us as we trek down the trail of life together with Jesus.
Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. —Matthew 7:13-14
Think It Through
If you had to describe your current journey with God, is there any place in your life where you are so obsessed with the destination that you’re missing the ride?
Also read the Bible Gateway Blog posts:
- NIV Outdoorsman Bible: Navigating the Night (Oct. 7)
- NIV Outdoorsman Bible: Don’t Guide the Guide (Oct. 14)
The above article is excerpted from the NIV Outdoorsman Bible, Lost Camo Edition (Zondervan, 2019). Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan. Published by Zondervan. Used by permission of Zondervan. zondervan.com. All rights reserved.
The NIV Outdoorsman Bible, Lost Camo Edition is published by HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Inc., the parent company of Bible Gateway.
BIO: Jason Cruise (@JasonLCruise) is executive editor of NIV Outdoorsman Bible, Lost Camo Edition (Zondervan, 2019), founder of MISSION, senior pastor at ClearView Baptist Church, an author, speaker, and video producer in the hunting industry. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary. He lives in Tennessee with his wife, Michelle, and their sons, Cole and Tucker. Visit www.jasoncruise.com.
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The post NIV Outdoorsman Bible: The Call Beyond the Cabin appeared first on Bible Gateway Blog.
