Rich Towards God (Luke 12:21)

I felt God was saying that I had made my life too comfortable and that He would lead me out into some sort of discomfort. What transpired was a walk in the Great Out Doors (GOD). This would also be a new way of preaching as it would turn out. I set out to walk about 6.30am in the Hakatere Conservation area in Mid Canterbury, NZ. I took my fly rod and expected to do some fishing but as I walked the Spirit was saying that wasn't what He had in mind but God saw this as an "acceptable sacrifice to Him." I had no idea what that meant at the time but instead of catching fish I caught an amazing video on my cell phone through a pair of binoculars. I was so enjoying the walk  singing spiritual songs from the heart (6kms in) praising and praying with God. Then above me I heard the unmistakable cries of our only truly native example of the eagle family. The video shows my close encounter with a Kaahu or Falcon as follows... 


The New Zealand Bush Falcon is a very rare creature to get up close and personal with and never in my life did I think I would be videoing one. The eagle family is often the Biblical creature linked to prayer because of its souring binocular view of the world beneath it. As you can see my little falcon sat high above the river on an outcrop of rock. This bird was master of all it surveyed, ruling and having dominion over the valley. It knew what was going on in its realm and for some reason (maybe because I had prayed so) was unafraid of my presence near its lair.

I had to ask myself why God had me do this and how was I now so "uncomfortable" as it were in comparison to before. As I stood to preach I felt to speak from this walk rather than the message on Ezekiel as I had prepared. In the Luke 12 passage a man had stored up his treasures so that he might be comfortable for a few years, ie. that of bigger silo's of plentiful harvest. Hello this is what God had been talking to me about. But this farmer's soul was required of him that night and all the full storehouses in the world could not help him when he died and had to account for his life before God. This was the first time I had preached for many years without knowing what it was going to be all about and I think it went alright.

The message was a living one built from my own experiences of that week. My prayer life had been initiated from God concerning my comfort level in Christianity and Church life. I had got into a regime of sermon preparation that in fact had become a rut to God. I think He needed me to show my people what it was to have a prayer life with Him and the example was of one who produced an unusual video of a rare bird instead of catching a few small trout, which I had done thousands of times before. It seems to me that God knows what would be if we would just follow His advise instead of following our own somewhat limiting knowledge. God is wanting to help us if only we would let Him. But I have to say I had to believe this still small voice that seemed a bit (forgive me Lord) ridiculous and easily disregarded.

Maybe this was an acceptable sacrifice because I had yielded to the will of the Father in heaven rather than a bull headed going my own way (probably another disappointing attemp instead to catch a salmon). I guess this is what it means to be closer to the source of eternal life. I hope and pray you may heed this still small voice of God also for a more abundant life of your own. Is this what it means to be "Rich towards God?"

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