The Deer Hunter And God

How oft the virgin light of breaking day
Have God and I watched silent from our perch;
Stygian darkness first shows a twinge of gray,
Night's curtain rises like a crescent church;
Its stage in the east glows ever brighter,
Pushed up and up by the sun's red aura;
Behind us a bird's call hails the brighter!
Burst then golden rays, like a queen's tiara,
Fill the east quadrant; a new day is born!
Such a thrill for me is enough---nay, more,
For joy to outweigh my life's greatest mourn,
And we've shared this great thrill uncounted score!
Shed no tears for me; I've seen many crowns;
Nothing matches it, when day darkness gowns!

I might as well confess it; I am an early riser, which is not the most popular role at our house. Dawn usually breaks after I have read the newspaper, prepared and eaten breakfast. My most sought-after blog thus far is The Deer Hunter's Prayer, which pleased me to have so many lookers, until I looked more closely and found there is a web page called The Deer Hunter's Prayer for Michigan deer hunters. That explains the numerous Google searches for my poem by name. At first I thought I had become a great poet.

Nevertheless, my commentary for The Deer Hunter's Prayer is appropriate for the many early risers who use the extra time as a wonderful quiet period to spend with God, by reading and meditating on His word, and for prayer. You can actually make a companion of God. The poem above is an attempt to describe the wonder of breaking day experienced after sitting alone in a deerhouse for an hour or more in the darkness of night. Such times, I have found, are wonderful for communing with, and thinking about God.

Yes, a human person, like you and me, can become intimate with God and feel His presence sitting in the stand with you. It won't happen that way for most people; it could, but most won't take the time, or love their sleep too much. Why not drop the deer hunting; just get up at 5 o'clock, walk out on your patio, and look at the stars. Turn the porch light off. Let it get pitch-black dark. Watch the sun rise. That would be easier if your patio is facing eastward. Think about God; He made all this, and you, too.