Yesterday I ran into an old acquaintance of mine that I haven’t seen since 1992. He is one of the finest sculptors in the world and his masterpieces sell for a pretty penny. I walked into his shop in Big Fork Montana and there on the wall were some Best of Show and Best in World blue ribbons from the competition that I founded so many years ago; (World Fish Carving Championships).
I also looked in his literature and viewed a list of his published works and saw listed the two articles that I wrote about him in my wildlife artist magazine, Breakthrough. Actually photos of the fish that he carved and that won the competition mentioned above adorned the front cover of one of those issues.
We reminisced for quite some time and it brought back some great memories. I told him that those were some of the happiest days of my life and creating wildlife art, publishing that magazine, and conducting those competitions were undoubtedly the most fun that I’ve ever had. He allowed me to walk back into his work area and as I looked around his shop I yearned to be a part of it once again.
He asked if I was still involved with creating wildlife art and I sadly responded that I hadn’t so much as picked up a paint brush, or done anything in that regard in many years. He was incredulous that I would forsake something that I treasured and he asked me why I abandoned something that I loved.
I thought about it and told him that I just got busy with my new career and making money and other interests, and before I knew it two decades had passed.
Hmmm . . .
I talk to people quite often that loved the Lord in their early years and childhood, but as soon as they left home, they turned away from the one they loved. According to a Barna study in 2006 – “Most twenty somethings put Christianity on the shelf, (61%), as soon as they enter college; most never to return. I saw a figure for the Southern Baptist Convention, (but couldn’t find the study) that stated that 88% left the church after leaving home.
Many leave because of idolatry. Recently the Pope issued a scathing message in which he indicted the world for getting caught up in idolatry, and worshipping money, gorging on greed, and materialism to the point whereby it dominates the world’s culture and it seems no one has any time for God.
The Bible states that life is short. Billy Graham once stated that the thing that surprised him the most about life was its brevity. The days on this earth cannot be relived. Today will not repeat itself. Don’t look back 22 years from now and ask yourself why you left the One that you love. Make some time for the Lord today!
James 4:13
Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.
June 17, 2014 – Click here to listen