He was a dedicated deer hunter, ever since the first time his daddy took him. Every year when deer season rolled around, he grabbed his gun aid headed for the woods. Then he met her and they married, and still, every year when deer season rolled around, he grabbed his gun and headed for the woods. Every year she asked to go along, and every year he responded, "no!"

One year he finally gave in, after a long and heated discussion. He gave her some safety lessons, they grabbed their guns and headed for the woods. As they quietly walked through the forest, she became separated from him. He did not notice that she was no longer with him until he heard a shot echo through the woods. He ran toward the sound of the shot, screaming her name. Finally he arrived at the scene and discovered her holding a forest ranger against a tree at gunpoint. The ranger was shaking and pleading with her, "All right lady! The deer is yours. You shot it fair and square. But please, all I want to do is get my saddle off of it."

The lady went hunting, had her weapon, knew how to fire it, and apparently had pretty good aim, but she aimed at the wrong target. She did not know what she was hunting. This story has a message for us, for I fear that we have been guilty many times of grabbing our sermons, stalking through the sanctuary up to the pulpit, taking aim, firing, and having little or no idea what the target is, what the purpose is.

It also describes those to whom we preach, for many gather on Sunday morning seeking and searching, but they are unsure of what they need. They come before us from a world that is shallow of purpose and empty of meaning. A world that may be hard working, but not productive. Busy, but not happy. Ever running, but never reaching the destination.

The pursuit of the American dream has produced a spiritual nightmare, and God has been left in the dust of the chase. Questions are being raised like never before in our culture about life, death, and morality. The foundation of the family is crumbling. Our children are exposed to teachings and behavior from which we were protected. The homosexual community has not only come out of the closet, it has broken down the door and charged forth to wage war. Schools are passing out condoms like report cards. Johnny may get an "F" in math, but he will get an "A" in sex. The drug war continues in full fury, and rebellion, violence and immorality are preached by way of the music video. A recent study reveled that the average teen watches MTV at least two hours a day. We live in a society that grants more rights to animals and trees than to unborn babies. The list can go on and on, and it forces us to ask if it has ever been this bad before, and is there any hope?

So when the preacher and the people come together on Sunday mornings, and the people ask, "Is there a word from the Lord?", and the preacher responds, "Yes, this is what the Lord says," he had better know the target, she had better know the purpose.