Safety First

This weekend my husband and I joined my dad and sister for some deer hunting.  Ready to get that big buck or doe for sweet venison dinners.  We came locked and loaded as they say.  My sister got her first doe of the season earlier and we were looking forward to it.

This year for my birthday dad got me a sweet Remington 243.  He had gotten my sister one two years earlier and I finally got mine.  I got it in August and my birthday is in February but it wouldn't be dad if he didn't forget one of our birthdays.

We arrived at the cabin  and I immediately decide to go out with my sister.  Before we went, my husband went over the loading of the weapon.  Dad was not going out but warned me about safety.  He said "you have to be careful, you're dealing with a weapon and live rounds, this isn't to be toyed with." instinctively I turned and said (respectfully of course) "Dad, I carried a firearm for thirty years-I have had firearms training at one of the finest training facilities in the country."

I thought "I've been through firearms obstacle courses, shoot-don't shoot courses,  tactical training courses- why would dad be so worried about me and safety and not my sister?"

As my sister and I walked to the deer stand this safety first thing lingered.  I continued to question dad's pursuing this issue with me.  It truly did bother me until I equated to my heavenly Father.  God constantly warns us in His Word against the dangers of this world and we still walk right into it.

Many times we head out into the world thinking we are sufficiently armed with the Word of God.  Truth be known, I become complacent and there is no worst place than being complacent in my faith. Every now and then I need my Heavenly Father to to remind that an enemy lurks and if I don't review, recall, and reclaim the Word of God, I could suffer.

Eventualy I came to the realization that dad was concerned that he was sending his two daughters to the deer stand by themselves,  he could not "protect" them.  I thank my dad for the reminder of "safety first," and I thank my Heavenly Father for the reminder that I am safe in Him.

Hold me up that I may be safe and have regard for your statues continually. Psalm 119:117

Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God.  Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son.  .2 John 1:9