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Musings from the deer stand

Posted on November 12, 2022November 12, 2022 by Carl Van Vliet

It seems like we went from one season to another overnight.

Seasons. Dictionary definition:

  1. Each of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn, and winter) marked by particular weather patterns and daylight hours, resulting from the earth’s changing position with regard to the sun.
  2. a fixed time in the year when a particular sport is played.
  3. a proper or suitable time.

The first definition pertains to meteorological seasons Meteorological spring always starts on March 1 and will always end on May 31. Meteorologists group seasons into three-month periods that line up with temperatures changes and the calendar. December – February is winter, March-May is spring, June – August is summer, and September – November is fall. It may not be the end of November but my Saturday morning looked somewhat different from my Friday evening. God gave us seasons on the fourth day of creation in Genesis chapter 1:14 “Then God said, “Let there be lights in the firmament of the heavens to divide the day from the night; and let them be for signs and seasons, and for days and years;” This is Astronomical season, as opposed to meteorological, but you get the idea.

Two things seemed to happen: Fall appeared to turn to winter overnight, which seems like the first definition (Yes I know it is not November 30th, yet), and Early Archery season closed and Rifle season opened. That’s the second definition. We went from leaves falling to snow and northern gale-force winds overnight. Fall to winter. We also went from Archery season to Rifle season in the deer woods. Same hunter (me), same stand, same woods. Very different contexts.

But what about that third definition? The dictionary adds that this definition is archaic but the Bible describes these “seasons” in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven” God said there is an appropriate time for these seasons of life.  But verse 10 Tells us God has put Eternity in the hearts of men. Eternity, Everlasting duration. We live by the chronos time: hours, days, weeks, “Seasons”. Our work is driven by them, our activities and pleasures such as deer hunting are set to them. Shooting hours, 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset. Season lengths. Vacation time. Seasons. The writer of Ecclesiastes says it is all in vain (Just read chapters 1 & 2 to see this). We have eternity set before us. A new way to live, a new way to think. Not in hours, days weeks or seasons but forever. Eternity, Everlasting duration. Jesus in His high priestly prayer found in John chapter 17 describes our eternal life: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent”. Eternity, Everlasting duration spent knowing and experiencing God. To love Him, to Worship Him, to Encounter Him. Every moment, everywhere, in everything. Eternity sets the heart cry for the believer, seasons give place to live out that heart cry. Sola Dei Gloria – God be glorified in the Eternity of my heart expressed daily in my “Seasons” whether the weather seasons (pun intended) or seasons of sports such as deer season, or the appointed times in life for given activities. Eternity sets my heart towards glorifying God in those seasons. To know Him as Father and encounter Him as Son Jesus Christ. To know Him and make Him known. Sola Dei Gloria! All Glory to God!

P.S. I hope your deer season is fruitful, but I hope your heart would be set ablaze in this season for the Eternity God has set for you to know Him and glorify him!

 

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